The Runaway Prince
by wishmaker101
Summary: He couldn't do it. All his life, Naruto had been pushed into one direction and an arranged marriage was the last straw. Prince or not, he would write a new path, even if it meant having to run away. SasuNaru
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey Everyone! I'm taking a short break from my main story because this idea has been nagging at me for a while now. I'm completely in love with the fantasy genre and hope my ideas carried over well onto paper. This is more of a prologue instead, and so the next update will be chapter one.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Warnings: None so far.**

**Prologue**

**The Runaway Prince**

...

Even the sun sets in the world of royalty and that was something Naruto greeted happily each day with an exhausted smile. When the sun's light ceased to shine prevalently over the vast lands of Lavonia, it meant his duties were officially over for the day. Being the only son to King Minato and Queen Kushina, he was loved and well watched after like a prized possession. At times though, it seemed as if that was all he was, a prized possession. His mother always made it a habit to over dress him like a china doll instead of the growing man he wanted to be. His father, on the other hand, thought him so fragile that Naruto practically had to sneak around for any form of excitement. This wasn't a life of royalty and it surely wasn't a life Naruto wanted in the least. He was as free as their pet cat, which lounged around lazily from room to room. But even then, at least the cat was allowed to wonder where she pleased. Everywhere the blonde went, he had to constantly be escorted by a guard.

"I'm so tired of it all," Naruto mumbled out tiredly as he saw the last rays of light recede over the mellow horizon. Backing away from the large window pane, he strode towards his bed, drained because of all the studies he'd absorbed in that day. Multiple candles were already pre lit along the chamber walls as Naruto lightly blew each of them out. God forbid the candles start walking and set fire to the curtains. Naruto laughed lightly at the thought but was easily lost to the comfort of the mattress as he climbed into bed. The rich fabric lulled him in and it wasn't long before the blonde was softly snoring underneath the beige covers.

Morning came too quickly as it did the day before and the entrance doors were slightly opened to reveal a lavender-haired maid, making her way in with a tray of water and clothes. She set it down gradually on the night stand and stroked the prince's unruly hair.

"Naruto-kun, its morning," she spoke, feeling a bit guilty for disrupting his peaceful slumber. The young boy stirred awake and stretched his arms high above his head. Naruto had developed an easy routine every morning as he lifted his upper torso upright to face the girl. He sat, immobile, as she muttered a small apology before lifting his night shirt right over his head. In seconds, a light brown tunic took its place, fitting his form tighter than the other.

"I don't know why mother insists on giving you these ridiculous orders when she knows that I can clearly change myself." Naruto groaned as she combined a few knots out of his hair. She chuckled lightly, while he yawned, a bit of moisture gathering at his eyes. Unchanging as yesterday, Hinata took a damp wash cloth and begin rubbing the fabric against his neck.

"My apologies Naruto-kun, I know how much you dislike the treatment but it is my orders." She replied back professionally, rubbing gently at the flawless skin.

The blonde only nodded with no reply as he let her continue with her duties. Mornings were always annoying because of this repetition. Hinata wasn't much older than he was and she could clearly dress herself in the morning. He didn't know whether to feel privileged or insulted that his mother felt a maid was necessary to help him get dressed. Naruto mentioned the issue many times with her but nonetheless, Kushina simply explained it as a luxury of royalty. Furthermore, Naruto should be grateful for being so pampered. The blonde didn't even bother with a retort, wondering the whole time if it'd be better he'd been born a girl. Ironically, the same thought resurfaced again that evening when he was called to the throne room. Following the guard to the destination, he didn't expect the conversation that was about to happen and certainly didn't imagine that it would change his world forever.

...

"I refuse to marry him!" Naruto yelled out angrily at his mother and father. Standing in front of the King and Queen of Lavonia, the blonde stood his ground and glared angrily at the two. Regardless of the fact that they both brought him into this world, neither had the right to decide his future.

"Naruto sweetie, you have to understand your role as Prince of Lavonia." Kushina tried, swiftly rising from her throne to embrace her trembling son. "I'm truly sorry for having to bring you such bad news so close to your birthday, but it's inevitable."

Naruto lightly pushed away her warmth and turned his back to the two people he trusted most. He understood perfectly the role of a prince. Being the first born son, Naruto was supposed to carry on the line of his father. How would it be even plausible to factor in the marriage of a neighboring kingdom?

"My duty as crown prince is to carry on the line of the Namikaze, mother. That goal is obviously unattainable if I am married off to Orden's crowned prince." Naruto replied back bitterly, all manners flying out the window.

"You're wrong my son," Minato answered, calm and collected unlike the shivering boy. "A prince's duty is to his Kingdom. You do whatever is asked to make sure the future of Lavonia never falters but only rises in glory. Orden is a very powerful country and we've been on edge with them for a while. It wasn't until recently that a truce was made to ally our two countries together. You don't understand the advantages Lavonia has gained with this new support."

Naruto stayed silent letting the words soak into his already muddled mind. His father was always goading him into the grandeur of sacrificing oneself for their country. It might have worked when he was five but turning fifteen in two days' time, the thought of glory didn't sound so satisfying. Calming his erratic heart, Naruto sighed loudly and carefully turned to face his parents. Kushina was knelt down next to him, her eyes resolute while she slowly reached for his hand. The blonde didn't refuse the touch as her thumb ran soothing circles along his skin. Focusing on his father, Naruto narrowed sapphire orbs at the King and stood confidently.

"If the alliance has already been created, why would I need to marry the King's son?" Naruto inquired at the loose ends of the treaty.

Minato shook his head, disappointed that Naruto couldn't read between the lines. "It hasn't been sealed, Naruto. In order to have finalization, there needs to be something to anchor it. Otherwise, the treaty would be nothing but a piece of paper."

"I still don't understand how this involves me?" Naruto rudely questioned. All motion ceased as Kushina rose from the ground to stand above the boy. Her hands hastily left the prince's, frowning at Naruto's brazen manners.

"Be grateful that you have been given a chance to do something for your Kingdom," Kushina fiercely stated to him. "You keep telling me that you're not a boy anymore Naruto, but your childish way of thinking only disproves that theory once more."

That comment definitely quieted him down as Naruto stood there, unwavering. He drew his gaze away, embarrassed, and down casted it to the floor.

"I don't have much freedom as it is mother." The boy started, feeling all anger slowly dissipate when the words of reality began to cave in. "Is it really too much, that I wish to choose the one I bind myself to?"

With the change in atmosphere and Naruto's statement, Kushina felt a bit guilty for pushing her son so hard to accept the proposal. She was whole heartedly against it but her opinion didn't matter when it came to Lavonia's well-being. The red-headed beauty looked to her husband for support but Minato was just as distressed.

It was as if the King was being backed into a corner with only one escape route. There was no uncertainty that he had to comply with Orden's request or else, their country would falter. Naruto didn't understand and even if he were to explain it to him, the bid was still too high. In all honesty, Minato didn't know that King Fugaku would throw in such a demand. Seeing that Oden's King had two sons, it wasn't a problem to marry the younger one to Naruto. He was positive the end goal was to test Lavonia's seriousness with the treaty. Handing over Naruto would be the same in handing over the throne because Naruto wouldn't be able to continue their family line. It was a dealing of trust and Minato couldn't refuse. A loud cough suddenly broke through the silence and the King returned his gaze to Naruto.

"If there is no other option, please grant me a night undisturbed while I await my future." Naruto requested.

Minato nodded in comprehension and watched his son stride off in a defeated manner.

"Is there really nothing that can be done about the situation at hand?" Kushina asked, instantly at her husband's side. "I just don't know if Naruto can handle so much pressure for his age."

"You know as well as I do that there is no way we can refuse Fugaku's appeal. I think that even for Naruto's age, he should understand better than anyone else the importance of his sacrifice." Minato replied back sternly. Kushina had only hoped her husband was right, and stood to take her leave as well.

...

Even with the gossip of the crown prince's engagement circulating the castle, night came as it did before. The castle was dead silent, not even a squeak or rustle of the curtains could be heard. Unfortunately, it made his escape all the more noticeable. Naruto knew it was wrong. No, it was more than just wrong, it was treason. The boy idly wondered why he'd stoop so low as to run but the glint of freedom easily over powered that thought. He maneuvered through the secret passage he'd found eons ago behind a burgundy curtain. Making sure to stay inaudible, Naruto squeezed through the claustrophobic space, debating if he should've carried such a big bag. Like a snake, he slid through the walls swiftly and exhaled happily at the sign of the passage widening. Upon reaching the route's end, Naruto sighed in content because it was smooth sailing from there. The opening led him straight into the forest and in day, he could be in the next town of Carthage.

The forest wouldn't be an obstacle at all, since Naruto was fairly familiar with it, so everything was at his advantage. Adjusting the heavy bag over his shoulders, the blonde continued on his journey towards a new life. The ruby covered sheath of his sword swung in sync with his movements and set a steady repetitive sound. Naruto persisted through the vegetation, pushing through stray vines and branches. During the short length of his escape though, all he could think about was the disappointment and shame he'd brought. When the sun rises over Lavonia tomorrow, there would be no prince to endure his daily routines. There would only be heart break from his beloved parents because their only son had chosen to run away.

...

**A/N: I know a lot of people might bash about oocness from the characters but, I really want to develop those characteristics along the way. Please review and tell me what your thoughts are! Should I continue?**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the great feedback and encouragement to continue. I really think I can do a great deal with this plot and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. On with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Chapter 1**

**The Stranger Arrives**

...

"Naruto, it's your turn to go to the market again," a shrill voice boomed from behind him.

Hearing the order from a few good feet, the blonde begrudgingly treaded away from the blooming garden, wiping dirty hands on his pants. He'd been eagerly tending the orphanage's garden for the past couple of days now, in hopes that it would grow into something more beautiful this year.

"This year…" the blonde mumbled out quietly, slowing down his pace towards the house. Trapped in a moment of the past, Naruto absently thought about the years that had flown by since his rash decision six years ago. Back when he was still a little boy about to turn fifteen, it had felt as if the whole world was against him. But now as a young man, a large amount of regret lingered guiltily in his mind for being such a coward. He could never return home. There was too much shame in facing his parents, and on top of that, they would probably never forgive him either.

"Oi, Naruto! Hurry Up!"

The blonde shook away the memories and eagerly welcomed in the distraction of Sakura, the second in command at the house. She was always happy and although a bit violent, loved helping the kids. They were both around the same age when he'd met her at Tsunade's Orphanage. Traveling for a week, with the bit of money he had, Naruto survived the horrors of reality when he reached Gaia. Gaia was a small neutral town off the border of Lavonia. Since Gaia was border line to another Kingdom, she was never claimed on either side for fear of war. He was positive that his parents would never find him there, and so that was the first place he ran to. Besides that point, the town wasn't very large, just a decent size town with still enough places to get lost in. Naruto felt confident that it was the perfect destination, and it was confirmed upon arrival when no one recognized him. Relief flooding his senses as he created a story to the inn keeper, about the ambush he endured, losing both his parent's lives. He took on his mother's surname of Uzumaki and cut three parallel scars across his cheeks to authenticate his story. The lady inn keeper was easily smitten by Naruto's looks, regardless of the scars, and quickly ushered him into a small room for the night.

...

When morning came, Naruto was then put into the local orphanage, which was run by the Regent of the town. He was known to be terribly kind and wanted the children to have a second chance, seeing that they were the community's future. It was pretty decent compared to a lot of orphanages, and the place was oddly immaculate. Life was still tough though, food was scarce and clothing was always second hand. To say that the blonde adjusted easily would have been an utter lie. It took him at least two years to finally get used to not bathing so much. His hair grew out longer but the color dulled because of the dirt acquired during chores. Nevertheless, the freedom of deciding what to do each day was amazing. That in itself outweighed all the hardships he had to endure.

He quickly ran up to the screaming girl with a sheepish grin and apologized for walking so slow. She let it slide, still a bit annoyed but disregarded it anyway. The blonde had always been a bit weird ever since he came to the orphanage.

"Well, I need you to hurry and go to the local market to grab a few items for the kids tonight. We have a bit of money left so I think a few loafs of bread and a bit of vegetables wouldn't be splurging too much." Sakura explained as if in thought the whole time. Naruto listened intently, making sure to note all the things to get. Last time he forgot something, Sakura literally went berserk and lectured him all night about how soup didn't taste the same without tomatoes. After that experience, he made sure to always double check everything before returning back.

"So what exactly do we need then?" Naruto asked hesitantly, not exactly sure of what Sakura wanted. She didn't reply back instantly, but instead walked off into the house. The blonde didn't know what to do and so he waited patiently for her to return. A few minutes later, she came out with a rather large basket and handed it to him.

"Here, the basket has the list and enough money in it. Hurry up and return before sun down or else I won't hesitate to smack you." Sakura said without a hint of sarcasm. Naruto nodded absently and took the offered basket. He bid her farewell before swiftly reaching the gates and walking right through. Usually, it was so hard to go anywhere without the kids asking him tons of questions but luckily, they were all off playing today. The grounds of the house were fairly large and he was glad for once that it was surrounding by a brick wall. The kids could get so out of control sometimes.

...

It was a good mile until he got to the main part of the town since the orphanage was located more towards the outskirts. That was the main reason in which Sakura would always bug him into running errands in town. It wasn't that she didn't like going into the well-populated area, it was the fact of carrying everything back by hand. Naruto didn't mind though, in his six years of absence from the castle, he had learned so many new things and was never treated differently. The thought of being tied to and arranged marriage shook away his regret every time.

Somehow, everything constantly came back to that subject though. Not a day went by without him thinking back to his old life, or more particularly, his parents. They must have been humiliated to have such a spineless son. Naruto didn't even want to think about how the treaty went…how his father would have to tell the King that his son disappeared. He bit his lip slightly, a bad habit developed from the slight depression. Fortunately, the town of Gaia had very little gossip about their neighboring kingdoms. The only news he heard was Sakura's obsessed fantasy about every guy in town. He sighed loudly to himself and continued on the dirt path, still a ways to go.

"Excuse me," a rich voice sounded from behind. As if drawn to the sound, Naruto instantly spun around to see who it was. The image of a mysterious man assaulted his vision, and he couldn't help but be shocked to see such a regal man standing before him. The man's clothes screamed expensive but still didn't compare to a royal's wardrobe. He had on a solid white cotton shirt that held a nice high collar. There was a split in the middle where a lace tie was loosely looped in and out. As Naruto's eyes drifted lower, he noticed how perfectly tucked the man's shirt was into the dark pants. His over coat was bulky, long sleeved, and black, adding more to the enigmatic aura surrounding him. With the guy's raven dark hair and lightly pale skin, he was sure to be a lord.

"Yes sir," Naruto humbly replied back, feeling a bit down casted because of his attire. He was only a helper at the orphanage and barely made any money off of that. He'd sold off his old clothes long ago to rid of any evidence; the money he received was just an added bonus. A good linen shirt and brown pants were good enough for the blonde. However, standing in front of the stranger, Naruto admitted he felt a bit embarrassed.

"Do you think you could tell me where the nearest town is? I'm a traveler you see and need some lodging for the night." He spoke out, so softly and well-mannered that Naruto truly felt like a peasant.

"Ye-yes sir, the town is only about half a mile ahead, if you don't mind, I could show you the way." Naruto replied back awkwardly, pointing up the road. The man nodded his thanks and followed after the blonde as they both fell into a comfortable silence. It was only then that Naruto noticed the clanking of a sword against the man's side. The sheath was predictably black with a golden colored end point that completed the sword's look. There was a loud cough that jerked his eyes away and back to the road ahead. Flushing slightly, he walked on, feeling a constant heated stare on his body.

"What's your name?" the man spoke at last, breaking the silence between the two. Naruto was a bit taken back by the question, but hesitated too long to answer.

"Do you not have a name or is there a frog in your throat?" the man asked with a smugness that no regular person possessed. The blonde gawked angrily at the question, and ended up glaring at the stranger. He had definitely been wrong about the well-mannered part, this guy was a prick.

"If we continue on ahead, we should be there in about a couple of minutes or so," Naruto forced out slowly, speeding up to get rid of the annoyance. Even when he was younger, he hated the snobby regents who would act as if the world owed them something. Since then, he'd swore an oath to never be like that and seeing one right under his nose, it made Naruto want to vomit.

"Hey, idiot, did you not hear a word I said or are you deaf too?" the man stated again, this time with a bit of irritation in his voice. It seemed like the stranger was used to getting answers and now that he wasn't, the guy was getting frustrated. Naruto cackled lightly in his head at the bastard, he'd learned to control his temper long ago but still frowned at being called an idiot. At last, the smell of fresh bread attacked his senses and the loud ruckus of people battered his ears.

...

The bright and lively atmosphere of the market always brought a smile to the blonde's face as he walked ahead without the lord. That was the only reason why he agreed to be Sakura's delivery boy so often. Naruto noticed the tomatoes instantly, loving the juicy red appeal they brought to the table stand. Striding over hurriedly, he pulled out the list Sakura made and mentally checked off tomatoes from it. He picked the four best ones and easily slipped them into the basket after paying the lady behind the counter. She thanked him graciously as he carried on, wanting to finish shopping before dark.

"Hey moron, where's the closest inn around here?" the traveler asked, finally catching up to the hasty blonde. Naruto didn't reply and continued on with his duties, if the bastard was going to be a complete jerk after his help, then why help him further?

"Oi, I asked you a question!" the man yelled back, more than annoyed now. His voice was easily drowned out by the crowd's constant chatter and a pan flute playing in the back ground. So, Naruto effortlessly ignored the man without guilt. Were travelers always this rude?

Just as he was about to enter a small tent which sold the red spices Sakura desired, a hand suddenly pulled him back. He hardly had time to process what was going on until his back collided harshly with a brick wall and a blade was pressed against his throat.

"Don't you dare ignore me you little peasant," The dark haired man spat out dangerously, sword sliding increasingly close to the blonde's pulse.

"You think you're so tough just because you have a sword and your clothes are made of finer material?" Naruto spat back, dropping his basket carelessly to the floor. "I hate men like you."

With that as his only warning, Naruto kicked the man's chest, sending him a few paces back. Grabbing his basket as quickly as possible, Naruto ran out of the secluded alley into the throngs of people. Maneuvering around many tables, woman, and children, the blonde finally lost sight of the dark stranger and breathed a sigh of relief. He calmed his racing heart down, only to realize that he now had a limited amount of time to get back to the orphanage.

Like lightning, Naruto rummaged through the stands hastily, not allowing any time to enjoy the experience at all and began on the trail to return back. It was nearly dark by the time he reached the midway point. Sakura would scold him immensely for his lateness but that was something he had to suffer. Upon reaching the gates, he felt a cold chill run all over his body and looked back to see if there was anybody behind him. Seeing nothing but darkness now, he ignored the feeling and continued on in with the heavy bundle.

...

"You're late Naruto," Sakura reprimanded as she saw him sneak into the kitchen. The man sighed wearily, not wanting to take a beating from the abnormally strong woman. He gently set the baggage down on the counter and proceeded to slip away.

"Oh no you don't mister, you're not going anywhere." She replied back, hands on her hips, ready to snap. Naruto cringed at the sight. Whenever a woman's hands were gripped tightly against her sides, it meant she was ready to blow.

"I can't believe you-"

"Excuse me miss," an all too familiar voice quickly cut through her angry rant. Naruto dreaded the thought of turning around, wondering which fate was worst. Facing the bumbling pink ogre or the dark evil dragon, they both sounded pretty terrifying.

He was positive that with the Lord's influence, the man had somehow convinced the town's guard to arrest the blonde. Now, Naruto would have to spend the rest of his life in the dungeons. To top it off, Sakura was sure to beat him to a pulp when she heard what happened. With the dreamy look in her eyes, it was a no brainer that she was already hypnotized.

"I apologize for making him late. You see I was traveling by and just so happened to cross paths with this young gentleman. Out of the kindness of his heart, he offered to show me to the market and we just happened to linger a bit too long. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness." The noble explained, rather convincingly. He even bowed his head in shame to add to the act.

Naruto had to literally bite his tongue from retorting at the lying bastard, but seeing as Sakura was shocked speechless at the man's looks, he let it past. He'd settle for a lie any day then listen to the girl bitch.

"Oh no sir, there's no need to apologize at all. If Naruto would have explained that to me from the beginning, I would have never opted to raise my voice." She replied back sweetly with a sickeningly false voice. If the blonde listened anymore to the conversation at hand, he'd surely puke out his guts.

"You truly have a huge heart, thank you my lady. But, would you mind if I speak to Naruto alone for a minute or two. There was something I wanted to ask him before, but he refused to tell me," the man asked, sliding in a very dazzling smile. It instantly won the heart of Sakura as she nodded instantly and stepped out in a rush, with hearts in her eyes. As soon as the door shut though, the stranger turned around with a smirk, his regal persona disappearing into thin air. The blonde glared daggers at the man as they both stood in silence, he was cunning indeed. Unaffected by the look, the nobleman merely smirked, leaning back against the near counter for support.

"If you want an apology for the kick, you're not getting one." Naruto spoke at last, breaking the thick atmosphere. "How'd you get in here anyway?"

"So the blonde idiot talks," he teased, crossing covered arms over a dirty shirt. It wasn't so white anymore after a dirty footprint was smashed on to it. "I simply followed you. With your lack of attention and alertness, it's a surprise you weren't mugged. But I expected no less from a moron."

"Fuck. You." Naruto growled back angrily, fist clenching desperately in an attempt to still his racing pulse.

"What crude language to resort to," the lord chastised as if lecturing a child. "What would your parents say if they saw you now, Naruto?"

Instantly, the blonde felt as if the air had been knocked out of his lungs. The shock clearly written all over his face when he realized Sakura had said his name a while ago.

"I- my, parents… were killed in a tragic accident, an ambush," Naruto replied back hastily, but his hesitation from before had already done the damage. The raven stranger was reading right through him and Naruto knew it.

"Is that so?" the man questioned, moving ever so close to the blonde with each breath he took. It wasn't long before Naruto could make out the man's flawless pale skin and strong jaw bone inching closer and closer to his face. "Because last I heard, they were both murdered for the throne."

...

**A/N: I know this is a horrible place to stop but if I didn't then this chapter would reveal out too much that would hinder the suspense. Next chapter should be out soon though, please review! Comments and feedbacks are well appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey Everyone! I can't believe this chapter turned out longer than I thought it would be. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I loved hearing what your thoughts were and I hope this chapter satisfies. Unfortunately I don't have a beta so I check all errors by myself. Sometimes I don't get them all so please bear with me. On towards the story though!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Chapter 2**

**A Truth Revealed**

...

The blonde gasped in shock and terror as the man's word's sunk in. He felt his heart constricting painfully and fell brusquely to the floor. It couldn't be true, both his parents…it had to be a lie. Naruto inched back slowly, averting his gaze from the unknown man, ready to puke out his stomach. He couldn't handle it anymore.

"What's the matter? I thought your parents died in a terrible accident right?" the nobleman chided, adding more salt to the wound. He saw the way Naruto cringed at the comment and couldn't help but chuckle at the turn of events. The man wasn't a sadist by any means but something about the blonde made him question that proclamation.

Naruto angrily stared back at the man's poise, mentally cursing himself for letting out such a reaction. He had to stay calm and try to regain the small bit of composure he had left.

"My parents did die in an accident. Ever since then, the thought of killing and murder just makes me sick to my stomach. You've clearly mistaken me for someone else." He easily retorted, hoping the lie would suffice the bastard's curiosity. Truth be told, Naruto wouldn't be able to hold it up any longer. His façade was slowly slipping as his parent's death kept resurfacing in his mind. He should have never bothered with the stranger in the first place. Because of it, his past was reemerging. The life he'd fault so hard to get away from was standing right in front of him, and it wasn't letting go. He could see the look of skepticism in the other man's eyes; it was going to be impossible to convince him.

"Hn, perhaps I am mistaken. The son of King Minato and Queen Kushina was an idol to their Kingdom. The man responded. "People even rumored him to be perfection in every way possible."

Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing that statement was more of a lie than anything else he'd said that night. The prince wasn't an idol to be admired, he was a coward. "It's a shame then, that I am not the prince. To hear that the King and Queen have been murdered also wreaks havoc upon me. They were nothing but kind and giving to our Kingdom of Lavonia."

"Our kingdom?" the man questioned at Naruto's choice of words. "So you weren't born here then."

"No, Lavonia is my home. My parents and I were traveling back when we were ambushed. I barely escaped alive. To this day, I'm grateful that I only have these scars." The blond explained, with the best forlorn look he could muster. Rubbing his eyes for an extra affect, he knew he would have the Lord believing in the story as well. It was only a matter of time before the man began apologizing for his rude gestures. There was a short silence that lingered for a bit until he heard the man scoff in disbelief.

Stunned by the reaction, Naruto directly gazed up at the stranger. He was still wearing the same smug look from before but there was something different this time as he crouched down to Naruto's level.

"I don't believe you." He stated quite briskly. "You're very unconvincing, but I'll humor you anyway."

With that said, Naruto gently got up, dusting off some dirt from his pants. He saw the nobleman stand to full height as well, still staring intently, but not saying a word. Naruto didn't quite understand what the guy was aiming at but decided to leave it at that. If it meant no more questioning then he wouldn't complain.

"I'll be taking my leave now. As much as I would love to spend the night here, I'm afraid the pink ogre would rape me," the stranger said with an eye roll. The blonde actually chuckled at the man's joke, agreeing whole heartedly with the comment. Maybe the guy wasn't so bad after all, minus the bastardly attitude. "Cancel all your plans for tomorrow because this conversation is far from over."

It was then that Naruto's slight smile fell as he watched the man briskly pass by him. Who did this guy think he was?

"Oi," the blonde began, getting irritated by all the peculiar demands. "You can't just barge into someone's house and begin demanding whatever you want! I'm not obligated to do anything you ask of me."

"Hn. I'm surprised the world obligated is even in your dictionary." The lord replied back nonchalantly, totally ignoring Naruto's accusation. He didn't even bother to face the blonde as he stepped outside into the chilly night air. It was almost that time of year again, where the leaves would turn different shades then fall. Just as he was about to continue back to town, he heard the rustling of the door behind him.

"Bastard!" Naruto yelled out, not knowing that the other had only taken about two steps forward.

"The name's Sasuke, moron" he replied back haughtily, enjoying the others reaction. He didn't need to turn to know that the blonde was huffing in anger by now.

"Well then, Sasuke," Naruto began, as if testing the name on his tongue. "To what do I owe this honor, in having visitation from such an affluent man?" he finished sarcastically. The blonde easily leaned against the door frame, cerulean orbs glaring into the backside of the raven. Naruto thought he was going to shit a brick when he noticed the other man chuckling but it was more out of amusement than at the joke.

"You should know that answer better than anyone else, Prince Naruto." Sasuke answered with a small glance over his shoulder. Both their eyes met for a split second but that was more than enough to send Naruto into a hysterical tremor. He didn't even notice the satisfied look on Sasuke's face as he disappeared into the darkness.

If a person could die from shock and horror, Naruto would be a dead man right about now. It was as if all his worst nightmares were returning and as punishment, they were piling up tenfold. How was it possible? Six years had passed by without a hint of followers anywhere. Naruto always made sure to be aware of his surroundings, contrary to Sasuke's allegations. There had been maybe once or twice that a traveler mistaken him for the prince but that idea was easily disregarded with his scars. The prince's face was unblemished and perfect, they always stated like a fact. He wasn't a girl to be idolized in that way but, to a certain degree, it was comforting to know that his people loved him. Besides that point, how did Sasuke know?

"Let's hope the bastard isn't as smart as he looks," Naruto sighed out wearily, mentally exhausted. He sluggishly closed the door and went to putting the items up before Sakura came back. The sun had only just set and yet it was already pitch black outside. He idly wondered how Sasuke found his way back into town but ignored the thought. If fate was on his side, the man would be robbed and stranded miles away from the orphanage, to never come back. But, the fates were laughing at him and clearly not on his side. He huffed in agitation, stuffing the last of the sweet bread in the cupboard. It was still too early to go to sleep but Sakura could finish the cooking on her own. As of that moment, all Naruto wanted to do was crawl into bed and never get up.

...

The sun began rising the next morning sending rays of brightness into the blonde's bedroom. He groaned childishly at the invading light and tossed to the side to shield himself.

"Naru-chan! Naru-chan!" a voice penetrated through his defense.

The blonde slowly registered a bouncing body on his torso as he opened one eye to see a mop of brown hair. It was probably one of the younger kids, wanting him to play with them. Morning came quicker than he'd imagined as he stretched languidly on the bed, paying no attention to the busy body clinging to his arm.

"Naru-chan, Naru-chan!" the young girl said again, not letting up on her hold. "There's a pretty man waiting to see you! He wants to see you Naru-chan!"

Naruto groaned out in pain at the thought of already seeing that man. "It's too early in the morning to be dealing with that kind of head ache." He placed both hands over his face, trying to shield all sorts of light away.

"I agree completely but it's a necessary evil, Prince Naruto."

Naruto quickly jerked awake only to see the smug bastard leaning against his door. How did the guy get in here without anyone noticing?

"Naru-chan's a prince? Could I be a princess then?" the little girl asked, eyes lighting up with hope as she looked back and forth between the two adults. Sasuke pushed himself off the frame and headed straight towards the blonde's bed nest.

"Naru-chan's not a prince Mika," he snarled out at the smirking raven, gritting his teeth when the man actually sat down on the bed with them.

"So, Mika isn't princess?" she asked, with tears almost in her eyes. Her chubby fingers loosened their hold as she pouted cutely beside the blonde.

"No, Mika is princess, Naru-chan's a knight," he replied back abruptly, not wanting to see her cry. Little girls were always so sensitive about their royal status. It seemed to have worked as she immediately giggled and smiled at Naruto. Mika muttered small plans about how they were going to live in a castle and have tons of horses. The blonde only smiled lovingly at the small child, wishing someone would adopt her into a good home. She was too precious.

"Mika," Naruto cut off before she could continue on with their bizarre story, "I think you should go get a flower for the pretty man. He told me yesterday that he really liked flowers."

Mika stopped in mid hand motion to stare at Sasuke, completely forgetting that he was there. But as her hazel eyes saw his face, she blushed furiously and nodded. Before any of them could register the movements, she was off the bed and out the room. The wooden door shut with a loud thud as Naruto turned to face the other occupant.

"What do you want?" he groaned out to Sasuke. Much to the blonde's displeasure, the man didn't get robbed or stranded far far away.

"You're very good with children," Sasuke responded, as if Naruto didn't even ask a question. "I'm sure your kingdom misses you very much."

"I don't have a kingdom! You're so delusional. I don't even know where you're getting these crazy ideas from." Naruto huffed out in annoyance. He was hoping Sasuke would let go of that subject already but the guy was hell bent on wringing the truth out of him. The raven didn't even answer, just scanned the room quite thoroughly with his eyes. Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, a clear signal to for the man to leave.

"Is this your room?" Sasuke asked, getting up, suddenly interested in the dull décor. Naruto didn't reply. If Sasuke wasn't going to answer his questions then he wouldn't grace the bastard with a response. But the man didn't need to confirm anything; he simply stood up and began searching the room.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked, confused about the raven's unusual actions.

"Searching," was the man's one word reply. The blonde crinkled his brow, still not comprehending when it clicked in his head. Sasuke was searching for proof.

"Well you won't find anything," he replied back confidently. Luckily, the raven couldn't see that Naruto's fists were clenching the white sheets awfully tight. He prayed silently, willing his heart to not drum so loudly case Sasuke hears. Watching the man gently lift up papers and shirts made Naruto a bit queasy. True, he had nothing to hide, if Sasuke didn't look in the right places. With Naruto's luck though, the raven would probably find something on the first try. And right on que, he saw Sasuke step on the loose floorboard, making a noticeable squeak. The blonde involuntarily flinched, knowing he wasn't going to be able to explain himself this time. He saw the look of curiosity flash across the nobleman's face and instantly shot up.

"Hey I think I hear Sakura calling me," Naruto lied as he reached the dark haired man. "I need to get dressed, get out."

He left no room for replies as he ushered the man out. Grabbing the bronzed doorknob, he pushed the raven though, shutting the door swiftly. He knew Sasuke was probably still on the other side but the problem at hand now was moving the items to a new hiding place.

"Stupid bastard," Naruto cursed lowly, plopping his head against the door.

"I can still hear you moron." The other man muttered back.

The blonde sniggered and propelled forward towards his wardrobe. It was too risky to move it with Sasuke standing outside. The man could walk in at any moment and discover proof that Naruto really was the prince. He easily slipped his night shirt off and put on a cotton tunic, putting on pants hurriedly. Naruto was in mid battle with his boots as he stepped out into the hall and as he expected, Sasuke was still waiting, back against the wall.

"What are you still doing here?" Naruto asked, finally able to slide his foot through the leather boots. "Shouldn't you be…out collecting taxes or something?"

He noticed the scowl Sasuke sent him and smiled at the turn of tables. Take that bastard!

"I don't collect tax you idiot. You wouldn't understand my position of the court even if I explained it ten times over. On second thought, Mika would probably better comprehend it than you." Sasuke retorted back. He rolled his eyes at the blonde's idiocy and hit his head against the wall. Only he would be unlucky enough to get Naruto as the real prince.

"I don't have time for this," Sasuke muffled out tiredly. If he calculated correctly there was only about two weeks left and it took at least one week to travel back to Lavonia. It wasn't helping that the boy was being incredibly stubborn to admit anything. Either that or he had a bad case of amnesia.

"Of course, noble's and their busy schedule…" Naruto commented sardonically. He adjusted his shirt a bit and proceeded to walk by the brooding raven. "If you will excuse me my lord, there's work to be done."

Sasuke didn't retort as Naruto walked off into the distance. Upon hearing the slamming of the door he waited for ten more minutes, standing in complete silence. When he was positive that Naruto wouldn't return, the raven sneakily made his way over to the room. There was something under that floor board that Naruto didn't want him to see and he would find out exactly what it was. Looking around one last time and seeing no one, Sasuke easily turned the knob and pushed it open.

The room was still the same except for a pile of night clothes in the corner. With the amount of time he took to change, it clearly indicated that the blonde didn't move the hiding spot. Cautiously, Sasuke stepped around the room looking for the loose floorboard. As he neared the blonde's bed, the piercing squeak sounded again. The raven man smirked as he bent down onto his knees. He pulled out a small dagger and wedged it between the cracks. Jiggling with the piece of wood, it effortlessly slipped up revealing the items underneath.

Most everything was wrapped neatly in a long dusty cloth as Sasuke pulled away the piece of wood. His heart beat rapidly with anticipation while gradually removing the cloth. It was then, he saw the proof that he needed to confirm everything. After last night, he was certain that Naruto was the runaway prince but there were still doubts in his mind. Not anymore though, now the blonde couldn't deny the statement at all.

...

"Naruto!" he heard Sakura scream for the umpteenth time. He was just lying before about hearing the girl yelling, but the blonde didn't expect it to be true. As soon as he entered the kitchen, she was already shouting orders about having to wash up all the younger kids for breakfast. Naruto nodded absently and begin gathering the younger ones for the morning ritual. He idly wondered back if Hinata ever got tired of dressing him each morning because he sure did hate it sometimes. Unlike him, the kids would be running around, super charged at the crack of dawn.

Naruto did the duties nevertheless, the kids were so adorable at times he couldn't help but fall in love with them all. He yawned out groggily and stepped out to the back to gather some water from the well. Usually the water buckets were well stocked up inside but it just so happened to run out that day. Inconveniently, the well was a good ways back from the kitchen also. Naruto made his way back sluggishly, knowing that Sakura certainly would be asking questions about Sasuke. He wanted to prologue that interrogation as long as possible so he made sure to take his time with gathering water.

Just as he was about to reach the stone well he heard a light rustling behind him. Turning swiftly, he instantly regretted the action seeing as it was none other than Sasuke.

"Hn, I'm surprised you noticed me this time," Sasuke teased.

Naruto rolled his eyes and preceded towards the well, dropping the bucket into the water, he started pulling the rope to propel the bucket up. "What do you want this time?"

"We need to talk Naruto, there's little time left." Sasuke began, stepping closer to the blonde. "Your kingdom is falling apart without a ruler and in two weeks, someone will be appointed to the throne unless you go back."

The blonde bit his lips at the news but grabbed the floating water bucket regardless. He heaved it up and over the well, pouring it into a larger container. "Sasuke, I thought we've already established the fact that I'm not a prince. I'm just an orphan." He explained, repeating the same process again. As much as Naruto hated the fact that Lavonia was deteriorating, there was no way he could accept himself as king. There was already a giant mountain of guilt and getting back on the throne would simply be adding to it. He would step aside and let someone who was worthy have a chance at that life.

"I thought we've already established the fact that I didn't believe you Naruto," Sasuke mocked. "Besides that point, I found something quite interesting in your room."

For the longest time, Naruto stood still and just slowly reeled up the bucket of water. He refused to turn, knowing the only thing Sasuke could have found wouldn't be good. Or then again, the man could just be lying to scare him. Choosing the latter of the options, Naruto finally turned to face the raven, eyes widening in shock. He suddenly let go of the well's rope, sending the bucket of water spiraling back down to the bottom with a splash.

"How did you find it?" Naruto meekly whispered out. The bastard had probably waited on him to leave to go search it out. That conniving asshole! "Give it back you thief!"

"So you're acknowledging that it's yours. Well that's a start, now if I give it back, we talk and you'll listen." Sasuke suggested, swinging the blonde's ruby sword around. It was definitely a weapon made for royalty, seeing that just the jewels themselves could sell for a fortune. He watched the look of contemplation dance across the blonde's face when Naruto finally nodded. Sasuke strolled up to the moron and handed him the weapon, wondering for a second if that was the best thing to do.

As if hearing the thought, Naruto gently unsheathed the sword like he'd done it a million times. It was probably dull from lack of usage but when the light hit it just right; a slight shine could still be seen. He thought the blonde just wanted to admire it but was quickly fooled when the tip was pointed directly at him.

"Draw your sword bastard," Naruto demanded like a king. "We talk, only if you can disarm me."

Sasuke smirked in pleasure, drawing forth his blade as well. "As you command, my prince."

...

**A/N: Woot! Finally finished! Gosh I feel as if I've been writing this chapter for days now. Anyways please comment and review!**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey Everyone! Sorry for the late update, I'm on vacation again haha *_gets rocks thrown at her_*. But I still really wanted to get this chapter out. Thank you so much everyone who reviewed! I loved it all and you just don't know how much it motivates me to continue! It's because of you guys that I try to get my chapters out so fast so please don't stop reading! I do apologize for any mistakes; I try to check over the chapter a million times before I post it and sometimes don't always catch them all. On towards the story though!**

**Disclaimer: Don't Own**

**Chapter 3**

**A New Path**

...

Naruto watched in fascination as Sasuke drew the long blade out. His heart began pounding in anticipation at the upcoming fight. He hadn't practice with the sword in ages but just wielding it was enough. The power that surged through his veins was indescribable as he stepped closer to the raven. The lord was probably more skilled and well trained than him but it didn't matter, Naruto would never back down from a match.

Instantly, he took the first swing and aimed it high at Sasuke. The man held his ground and easily blocked the attack, thrusting the blonde back a few paces with his own blow. Following up with the block, Sasuke tried for a side attack but it was easily diverted with Naruto's blade. He clearly underestimated the blonde as both swords continued to clash loudly together. The other man's posture was perfect and his footing was well balanced. Clearly, Naruto knew what he was doing. This was no time to admire his form though as the other lunged again. Not quick enough to block, Sasuke suffered a cut as Naruto's blade easily slid passed his defense, tip grazing the upper part of his arm. The raven averted the sword to the side with his own and slid back to avoid another attack. The blonde smirked in triumph at being able to cut the nobleman. Sasuke's left hand eagerly flew up to cover the spot. It was true that the idiot's blade was dull but somehow, it still managed to cut through flesh. Sasuke huffed in annoyance as blood began soaking into his sleeve. Now his favorite shirt was practically ruined.

"You fight like a dairy farmer Sasuke, are you sure you're a nobleman?" Naruto teased, effortlessly flipping his sword in hand.

"Hn, how appropriate then since you fight like a cow," Sasuke rebutted, carelessly taking off his torn jacket. He watched in satisfaction at the anger flaring across the man's face. Any moment now and the other would be flying over to chop his head off. He was too carless to think that Naruto would be rusty from lack of practice but like a true prince, he was a natural. Sasuke would have to fight serious now if he wanted Naruto to ever spill the truth. As he'd predicted, the blonde sloppily ran forward for another blow. This time however, in his midst of rage, Naruto was more prone to mistakes. His strike would be powerful with fury but his balance would be lost. Sasuke ducked swiftly, barely avoiding the swing that was aimed for his head. Using the position to his advantage, the raven rapidly swept the prince off his feet with a low spin kick.

Naruto's back hit the dirt with a solid thud and before he could recuperate, the tip of Sasuke's sword was already at his throat. He looked up in defeat at Sasuke's form and carefully moved the tip away.

"Alright bastard, you win." the blonde complied. The raven held out his hand to help him up and unwillingly, Naruto took the offered help. He dusted his back and grabbed his forgotten sheath near the well. In a timely manner, Naruto quickly inserted it back in the casing and handed it to Sasuke.

"Here, take my sword and head to the forest right outside the gates. There's a small clearing about five minutes in, wait for me there." Naruto explained, grabbing the bucket of water. He completely forgot about breakfast too and was more than positive that it was probably already over. The blonde turned to Sasuke and saw the bit of hesitation in his face before he walked off towards the gates, grabbing his abandoned jacket as well.

Naruto sighed in contemplation, and set off towards the kitchen. Not only would he have to deal with Sakura first, he would have to suffer Sasuke later on as well. The punishment never ceased.

...

Sasuke followed Naruto's orders exactly and like the blonde had said, there was an open clearing a few minutes in. It wasn't big to be exact, just a small circular area that had been cleared off and was surrounded by trees. He strode languidly towards a huge oak and slumped against it tiredly. Using his dirty jacket as a pillow, Sasuke wedged it between himself and the tree to make it a bit more comfortable.

The sun shone down mercifully on his form while the wind speed blew gently alongside. It was actually quite calm and relaxing. The blood around his wound had begun to dry and crust; making the loose fabric stick uneasily to the area. Regardless though, Sasuke stilled his body and enjoyed the tranquility of the area. He wasn't positive that the blonde was going to come but, seeing that he still had the other's sword, he had to hope for the best.

Sasuke yawned out tiredly, the activities of the day weighing heavily down on him. With the sun's warmth seeping into his skin and caressing his body, Sasuke easily succumbed to sleep.

...

When Naruto finally made it into the forest an hour later, after getting an ear full from Sakura, he made sure to let Sasuke feel his wrath of making him late for breakfast. To his surprise though, when he saw the slumbering man under the tree, he just couldn't bring himself to do anything. The sight of Sasuke sleeping was endearing and quite a fascination. Naruto couldn't bring himself to wake up the sleeping dragon and so he found a spot opposite the man and sat. Leaning himself against the bark, Naruto waited for the raven to stir awake.

It wasn't only but a few minutes later did he begin to notice Sasuke moving. The man inched his body up the trunk a little before slowly lifting tired eye lids. He sluggishly scanned the surroundings, scolding himself for falling asleep when his gaze fell on a smiling idiot.

"Moron, why didn't you wake me up?" Sasuke scowled out at the chuckling blonde. He stood up and stretched his muscles from the quick nap. Grabbing the discarded swords, and his jacket, Sasuke made his way over to the prince. He plopped down next to the guy and handed him the ruby sword.

"Sorry, didn't want to wake the sleeping dragon," Naruto responded back sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. He took his sword back with gratitude before leaning up against the tree.

"So, what did you wanna talk about?" Naruto asked, trying to find the most comfortable position.

"I need you to return with me," Sasuke stated, not wanting to waste time beating around the bush. "Like I mentioned earlier, Lavonia is weakening by the day and there needs to be a new king to lead."

Naruto sighed out in frustration, knowing well that Sasuke was going to ask him that. He was hoping it wouldn't be true but there was no way out of it.

"How did you know?" Naruto asked, suddenly finding a piece of grass very interesting. His gaze was averted to the ground and he refused to look at the raven. "How did you figure out that I was the prince?"

Sasuke chuckled a bit at the question. "I don't know, maybe the part where your name was the same as the prince?" He said sarcastically. "Only the people of Gaia would be so unsighted, it's a no brainer why you chose to seek refuge here."

Naruto glared at the offending man, wanting to shove dirt into his mouth. "Shut up bastard, no one's ever asked but you. Besides this town's so small that we don't even hear of outer news…I didn't even know my parents were dead."

There was an eerie silence that commenced after the confession. Naruto was deeply upset about that fact and looked to the sky for comfort. He would never be able to forgive himself, because of his childish mistakes, he would never be able to face his parents again…nor would he be able to apologize.

"I'm truly sorry about the lost Naruto," Sasuke said, trying to be as comforting as possible. "But you have to put that in your past and keep moving forward."

Naruto nodded solemnly, agreeing completely with the man even though he wasn't voicing it. "I'll go with you."

"Now Naruto let's be rational- wait, you're going?" Sasuke asked in shock. It was so hard to convince the blonde before and now he was just so willing to go.

"Yes. It's time I made things right." Naruto began. "It's a shame that I won't be able to ask my parents for forgiveness but I know my father would be proud to see me take the throne."

Sasuke was still in astonishment at Naruto's decision. At first he had wanted to stab the blonde because of his idiocy but now, it was as if he was standing in a new light. Finally, the man was beginning to take responsibility for his own actions.

"So, there's no backing out. Once you say that you're going, I'm going to force you on your word." Sasuke clarified. He didn't want Naruto to run away on him, again.

"I understand," Naruto replied back sternly. "But really…how did you come to the conclusion that I was the prince even before my name?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto and thought about his answer. Why was the moron so bent on that question? "Well…there are plenty of portraits that portray your looks back in Lavonia. These people are blind not to see the great deal of resemblance between you and the prince. The only major difference is the scars. Besides that, the court informed me of your brash behavior and hatred of royals so I tested it out."

Naruto scoffed in disbelief, the court was so full of it. "You know, I take it back. You're not a dairy farmer, you're a creepy stalker."

Sasuke had the decency to flush red at the name and turned a bit to hide it. "I'm not a stalker. I was simply put on a mission to find you."

"So, what's in it for you then?" Naruto questioned.

"Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb Sasuke, there's got to be something in it for you. I don't know any guy that would search the world just to find another guy for no reason." Naruto explained. "Are they paying you?"

Sasuke scoffed at the accusations and looked straight into Naruto's cerulean orbs. "I don't need money idiot, and for the record, I'm not some puppet they control. I have my own benefits in this situation, I won't lie but you'll find out in time."

Naruto chose to leave it at that, Sasuke was a man of mystery and it would be best to leave I that way.

"Well, I'll leave it to you to explain to Sakura why I have to leave so suddenly and to never return at that," Naruto said, standing to his full height. "We can leave first thing in the morning."

Sasuke nodded and stood as well, both walking back to the gate in unison. Naruto bid farewell to Sasuke and walked inside. That afternoon, he made sure to spend plenty of times with the kids. Even though he hated the work at times, he had gotten so used to life at the orphanage it was tough to let it go. He had worked so hard to become this whole new person and live a new life, but in the end…he could never escape what was in his blood. Even if Naruto had run to the end of the world, he was the Prince of Lavonia.

...

Naruto awoke the next morning, feeling a bit glum and nervous for the journey ahead. As much as he'd miss Lavonia, the blonde wasn't sure if he could return home yet.

"Home," Naruto spoke out quietly, tasting the word on his tongue. He hadn't said that word in while…the orphanage was a home but at the same time…it wasn't his home. It was just a place to stay for the time being.

The blonde made sure to wake up extra early in order to pack the little things he had. Grabbing the few shirts and pants in the drawers, Naruto easily stuffed them into the same oversized bag he used so long ago.

Sasuke had agreed to come up with an explanation to Sakura so he had to hurry before the woman woke up. It wouldn't be a pretty sight when she had to find another person to help around the place. That was the sole purpose of Sasuke breaking the news to her. Naruto chuckled at the thought, hoping the raven would get the chance to experience the crazed woman's wrath.

He could barely make out the sun beginning to rise over the horizon and sped up his packing. After gathering all the necessary things, Naruto silently made his way out of the room and shut the door quietly behind. He felt an odd sensation run through his spine, the reality of leaving not really taking its full effect yet. He had been there for six years and somehow, it only felt as if he arrived yesterday. Taking in a deep breath, Naruto strode through the hallway and slipped out the door. When he came upon the gates, there was no one to great him.

"Hm, I wonder where the bastard is." Naruto thought aloud, adjusting his bag a little. "You'd think he'd camped outside, seeing how eager he was to get me back."

"You know moron, it's hard to disprove that you're not an idiot if you keep standing there and talking to yourself." Sasuke said from behind.

Naruto turned to see the other, still wearing the same torn jacket from the other day. It seemed as if his under shirt was different but the guy wasn't carrying anything at all.

"Oi, where's your things?" Naruto asked, nodding his head to indicate the lack of luggage.

"I don't like lugging things around," Sasuke answered, walking pass the blonde outside the gates. "Come on, let's go."

"Che," The blonde scoffed, following after the man nonchalantly. "So used to people carrying them for you huh?"

"Hn. You would know that feeling better than anyone else Prince." Sasuke jeered back with a smirk.

Naruto aimed a playful glare at the other but Sasuke didn't see. It actually wasn't that bad anymore. He had come to terms that their relationship development wouldn't get passed the snarky remarks or the name calling. Honestly though, he could live with that.

"Hey," Naruto started, running up to catch the raven haired man. When they were finally side by side, walking in sync, Sasuke turned to look at the blonde as if to say what?

"What did you tell Sakura anyway? I don't see any bruises or complaining so what happened?" Naruto asked, clearly intrigued. Sasuke had been there earlier than he thought and to top it off, the transition went way too smooth. He had imagined them both leaving only by outrunning a giant pink blob…chasing after them with a butcher knife no less.

"It was simple. I just told her you were the Prince of Lavonia and I came to take you home." Sasuke replied as easy as that.

Naruto's mouth dropped and his body froze completely for a second. The raven didn't seem to notice and continued to walk ahead. When the blonde finally snapped back into reality, he jogged up to the fast paced man.

"Wait! That's not possible, she undoubtedly laughed it off in disbelief," Naruto said, more of a reassurance for himself than Sasuke.

"She did and while she was laughing, I left," Sasuke answered ignoring the way Naruto was clenching his fists.

"What! Then, you didn't give her an explanation! She probably thinks I'm still there!" Naruto bellowed out in horror.

"Most likely, yes." Sasuke agreed with a small smile on his face. He turned to the side to see the blonde idiot panicking, eyes dilated from fear on whether Sakura would ever come find him. It was such a hilarious sight to watch. Too bad the blonde didn't know it was lie. Sasuke had clearly spoken to Sakura that morning, much to his displeasure. He simply stated that he wanted to recruit Naruto to another orphanage to help raise the children. The pink haired woman was a bit hesitant at first but with a little bit of persuasion, she gave in. He cringed at the flashback of him whispering in a low seductive voice and lightly brushing at her hair. It was undeniably necessary, no matter how scarring the memory was. It had to be done to get what he wanted and anything an Uchiha wants, an Uchiha gets.

...

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please Review and follow! Until Next time!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey Everyone! Don't have much to say this time around so hope you all enjoy! On to the story.**

**Disclaimer: Don't Own.**

**Chapter 4**

**A Long Journey Indeed**

…

"How much longer until we get to Lavonia?" Naruto grumbled out in resemblance of a child. Sasuke turned his head to see the blonde slugging behind after him. It had been like that all day.

"I didn't tell you to pack your whole house idiot; you could have just left everything but your sword." Sasuke countered back to the whining man. He'd tried to ignore the constant complaining at first but now it was just plain annoying.

"I'm sorry that I like to change clothes every once in a while," Naruto retorted back, trying to catch up with the fast paced man. He didn't get any more from Sasuke as they continued to walk in silence. Without the outgoing blonde trying to start conversation, the trip there would have been ever longer. If Naruto remembered correctly, it took about a week to get to Lavonia so he was going to make the best of it. The sounds of nature echoed powerfully through his mind, seeing there was no point in trying to start a discussion with the other male. Sasuke would most likely ignore him or banter back about his stupidity. Two of which didn't sound very pleasing and so Naruto kept to himself.

"One whole week of this huh?" Naruto mumbled mostly to himself. Sasuke glanced back at the blonde hearing some words but it was no use. The other appeared to be lost in deep thought so he didn't bother. Both travelers feel into a steady pace with each other, the raven not minding the quietness at all. If possible, he would love it to be that way the whole journey there.

"Oi, bastard?" Naruto began, after a millennia without speaking. "Do you think I can really lead my kingdom in the right direction?"

Sasuke was a bit taken back by the question but replied anyway. "I think you're well suited for the position."

At that, Naruto bit his lip feeling a bit shameful at receiving such optimistic praise. "I'm not so positive about it…I don't know if the people will accept me back? I did run away…what if they think I'm just a coward? I don't think I'd know what to do?"

The dark haired man didn't reply, instead he just kept walking on. Wasn't one reply enough, why did the moron feel the need to reassure himself so much? His duties didn't include babysitting nor positive encouragements. His object was to get a blonde idiot back to Lavonia and that was that.

"Oi bastard! Are you listening to me?" Naruto tried again. "What if the people of Lavonia call me weak and…don't accept me?"

Sasuke sighed out exasperated, the prince probably wasn't going to quit until he got an answer.

"You know what you'd do if they did all those things," Sasuke answered at last. "If they call you a coward and a runaway brat."

"What?" Naruto asked all too eagerly, hoping the raven could ease his mountain of guilt.

"Nothing." Sasuke stated simply, as if the answer were so obvious.

It took a second for Naruto to register that Sasuke had given him a useless one worded answer. "Nothing. Nothing? That is the lamest thing I've ever heard from anyone! Not very inspiring at all." he shouted angrily at the treading raven. Oh if he had a rock, Naruto would definitely throw it at the duck-butt hairstyle Sasuke was sporting. Alas he didn't so he stuck to fuming angrily in the back ground. Did the noble man surely not care about whether he could succeed or not?

"Look, I'm not here to give you motivational speeches about how you can overcome any obstacle, you moron. I'm just here to take you back." Sasuke explained. "Besides that fact, I'm being serious. If they accuse you of being a deserter, you admit to it."

"But-"

"No Naruto." Sasuke looked back with finality. "There are no excuses when you become King. You must admit your wrongs, earn their trust through honesty, and start over again. That is the only way you can gain your respect back. So stop running away and face the consequences."

Naruto listened intently, knowing all too well that it was true. Sasuke was right as much as he hated to admit it; the damage had already been done. There was nothing else to do now but simply ask for a second chance at redemption.

"Thanks." he said lowly out of gratitude. The blonde was glad that cold noble was a bastard. Honestly, he didn't need sugar coated lies of how awesome of a person he was. He needed the unforgiving truth of his mistakes and truly, only Sasuke would be so kind as to enlighten him with the harsh realities.

The raven merely grunted back at the thanks and moved ahead without any more talks. He was already on a time limit as it was and the blonde wasn't helping with the situation either.

"So, are we camping out in the wild tonight or are we staying at an inn?" Naruto began again, not quite liking the awkward silence.

"Can you not keep quiet even for a second?" Sasuke quipped back, vein popping at the constant jabber. "And no, we're staying at an inn."

"Jeez, that's all I wanted to know. No need to get so anal." Naruto murmured sheepishly.

The raven lord shook his head in disbelief. The blonde was certainly right at one thing, one whole week of this huh?

...

"You know if you're a lord and all that shebang, why do we have to share a room together?" Naruto asked the raven haired man. Again, Sasuke ignored the comment and went to taking off his jacket. He threw it carelessly on one of the armchairs and proceeded to take off his shoes.

"Hey, I know you like to ignore me and everything but this is a legitimate question!" Naruto persisted, voice rising in octaves.

"It's for reassurance that you won't run away, I need to keep an eye on you." Sasuke finally spoke out as he threw his boots to the side. Strangely, he didn't hear a peep out of the other afterwards. The raven turned to see what was wrong and was surprised to see a sour look on the blonde's face.

"What's the matter?" Sasuke questioned, not used to the odd stare.

"You still don't trust me?" Naruto began, feeling a bit dejected that he was being treated the same as six years ago. He wasn't a child anymore. "I don't understand why?"

"Look Naruto, it's nothing against you but I just have to be extra cautious. There's so much at stake upon your return that I can't afford to lose you." _Again…_

Even with that explanation Naruto turned away, a bit disappointed. "Yeah yeah. Still, that doesn't explain why there's only one bed."

"I'm going to tie your ankle to mine when we sleep." Sasuke commented, standing up to remove his shirt. The prince stared at him incredulously, not sure if it was Sasuke's way of joking or all seriousness.

"You're kidding right?" Naruto asked a bit hesitant about learning the answer. He turned to face the other for a reply but completely regretted it. There stood the raven in all his glory, shirtless and a confused look adorning his features. "Whoa! What are you doing?"

"I thought it was obvious, taking off my clothes." The raven replied back fumbling with his pants now.

"Wait hold on! Let me get out of the room first!" the blonde shouted, shielding his eyes away from the tempting sight.

Sasuke had the guts to chuckle at the blonde's virgin display of innocence. If he was sadistic enough he would have put a move on the blonde but he decided otherwise. They still had to endure each other for the next few days so he didn't want to make it uncomfortable for the man.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Sasuke chided in a sing song like voice. At that comment, he heard a loud ruckus and then the shutting of the door with a thud. The raven chuckled at Naruto's, dare he say, cute antics before grabbing a towel for a much needed bath.

…

Naruto panted softly when he reached a safe haven. He made it out of the inn into the streets and was glad that the cold night breeze was cooling him down.

"Stupid Sasuke," Naruto muttered to himself. The blonde could still feel his heart beating loudly, pounding rhythmically against his chest. He didn't know what came over his mind; the pale bastard wasn't even that good on the eye. Sure his creamy skin out matched any porcelain doll and his muscular arms were just the right size but…his stomach.

"Gyah!" Naruto hurled out into the night, slapping both hands over a red hot face. That stomach screamed to be nipped on, caressed, marked, licked, touched, and so much more. How was it possible for the raven to look so sexy and act so rudely?

"No no no, we are not going down that alley," Naruto commented out loud. Luckily there were no by passers or else he really would be deemed an idiot. The prince sucked in a breath of the frigid night air, instantly chilling his burning desires. "What's wrong with me? I ran because I didn't want to be the bride of some prince and now, I'm pining after a regent of the court."

He exhaled, the smoke of warm breath fanning against his face before dispersing into the night. There was no doubt he had an attraction for the other male but it didn't make a difference. Naruto was going to be King and a scandal with the lord wouldn't be good for his rocky future. The blonde finally took notice of the empty streets. Seeing that they had arrived close to dusk, it was most likely very late. His racing heart steadied at last and his body returned to normal. It was then his body realized the night's freezing temperature and so Naruto begrudging returned inside.

…

"What were you doing out there so long dobe?" Sasuke asked when the blonde returned from his quick escape.

"Dobe?" Naruto questioned, closing the door steadily behind him. He took noticed that Sasuke's clothes were somehow very clean, and even the jacket left on the chair wasn't torn anymore. "And what's up with the clean clothes?"

"Unlike you _dobe_, I do like to stay clean." Sasuke countered back, lying down on the bed. "Now hurry up and get into bed, it's still a long ways from Lavonia and we need to travel fast."

"Che, so eager to get me into bed huh?" Naruto grumbled out but walked towards the mattress regardless. "I haven't bathed yet but I guess you wouldn't care right. Since you want to get dirty with me anyway."

"On second thought, go get a bath," Sasuke retracted his statement. "I can smell your sweat from here and you can dream on dobe."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Naruto stood up in irritation. "What is a dobe and it's not me who has wet dreams but you."

"You have wet dreams about me? I never would have guessed you felt that way." Sasuke teased back. It was so pleasurable to see the blonde turn red and squirm like a tadpole. Probably the only highlight he'd get from traveling with the idiot.

"You know what! Fuck you, I'm going to take a bath." Naruto surrendered, hands thrown up in the air. "Stupid jerk."

Sasuke laughed, literally laughed at the other. He didn't know why but he just found the situation so amusing. Naruto certainly had a way of drawing people in, maybe that was his kingdom adored him so much. Even after they heard news of his disappearance, no one dared to talk bad about the prince.

"Go take your bath then," Sasuke said after the blonde. He heard Naruto grumble something incoherent and turned over to see what all the fuss was about. The noble stilled completely when the blonde begin discarding his clothes. Sasuke couldn't lie to himself; he thought the prince was very attractive. The wild blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and cheeky grin would have anyone falling for the young man. He couldn't dare to look away when the other's shirt glided off smooth sun kissed skin. The raven felt his mouth salivate for a bit when the blonde bended over to take off his boots. Sasuke had such a clear view of two round globes that shrieked to be grabbed and molested.

"Oi, I'll be back." He heard the prince say before grabbing a towel and walking out clad in his pants. Naruto shut the door with a loud thud that reverberated through the small room.

"Damn," Sasuke said, a bit sadden that Naruto didn't fully undress in front of him. He stared at the empty spot where the man stood for a bit and then laid back onto the bed. The nobleman sighed contently at the day's accomplishment. Sasuke would never admit to Naruto that he was slightly enamored with the blonde even before the journey. The various portraits of the male back in Lavonia did Naruto no justice at all. His features far exceeded their imagination since the man ran away six years ago. A fifteen year old boy and a 21 year old man was a huge difference. Sasuke kept hunting for a boy during his first year search when he should have been looking for a well grown adult. He was on the verge of quitting the unprogressive search when fates brought him to notice the blonde stranger. Sasuke didn't think much of it at first. Honestly he just wanted to find shelter at the nearest town but upon seeing the other's face, there was no denying that he was the prince. The raven chuckled at his luck, maybe everything would turn out better this time around.

…

**A/N: Yeah I don't think this was my best chapter but I really wanted to get it out. I hope you guys liked it though, and please review! Until Next time!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey Everyone! Gasp at my quick updating! I feel as if I haven't done back to back updates in a while but I hope everyone will enjoy this chapter. I don't think this story will be too long; maybe four or five more chapters then we get to the end. Don't hold me to that though haha I need to get back to my other story. Anyway, on towards the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Don't Own.**

**Chapter 5**

**In the Woods**

…

"Thank you so much for staying here, I hope next time you will choose us again," the tiny old man said as he took the room key back. Sasuke nodded and bowed graciously to his elder before turning to the squirming blonde.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke questioned both him and the inn keeper looking to Naruto instantly. The blonde stilled, like a deer caught in bright headlights. He turned slightly towards the two and gave them the biggest grin he could muster.

"Nothing but I thought I packed my map in here." Naruto answered honestly to both onlookers. "I guess I must have forgotten it back at the orphanage."

"We don't need a map. Lavonia is probably the simplest place to venture to without getting lost." Sasuke stated, crossing his arms for no more arguments.

"Oh! So are you both traveling to Lavonia?" the old man squeaked from behind the raven. Sasuke pursed his lips in annoyance, not really liking the idea of telling him their destination. Regardless, he was taught to respect his elders and turned back to the other with a nod.

"Yes sir we are. I believe if we go through Fanon Forest and cross the Decorous Bridge, it would be a straight trek from there." Sasuke responded back out of politeness. The old man did help wash his clothes last night and sew up the torn shirt; courtesy was the least he could offer.

"A very clear cut path indeed," The elder mumbled, nodding his head in approval. The raven shot a smirk at his blonde companion, proving the other wrong. There was definitely no need for a map.

"-but, have you heard the rumors recently concerning those forest my dear boy?" he finished with a slightly crazed look in his eyes. Sasuke refrained himself from sighing out in agitation, why were they still here talking to this weird man? No one would take that bait.

"Come on Naruto lets-"

"Wait! What rumors?" _Except for Naruto. _

The lord wanted to palm slap his face. Did lonely inn keepers really have nothing else to do? He guessed not, seeing that many would jump at any chance of striking up a conversation with travelers. Maybe that was just something Sasuke didn't understand. Talking was only necessary to get your point across, other than that, it was well over rated.

"You mean you haven't' heard about the rumors?" the man began again, leaning across the counter for an extra effect. Sasuke watched the blonde slowly lean over, completely entranced in the fabrication that was going to be foretold. Really, Naruto was falling right into the other's trap.

"No old man, are they that bad?" the prince inquired not blinking just in case he'd miss the response.

"Terrible! They're horrible," the inn keeper yelled, hands flying up in the air. Others in the lobby turned to see the commotion and the nobleman couldn't help but want to drag the idiot out of there.

"Naruto lets-"

"Not too long ago, a pair of travelers journeyed by this tavern too." The old man started. Sasuke glared keenly at the other for cutting him off but it was useless, both morons were staring intensively at each other now. Even if a war were to break loose neither would know.

"The two travelers were headed to Niota, a small town before Lavonia. When they asked me for directions, I told them the quickest route was through the Fanon Forest. I didn't think much about it until both men returned the next day, screaming about a hidden beast."

"What! A hidden beast?" Naruto exclaimed, a bit of fear flashed across his face.

"Yes! They both said that there was nothing strange at first but once night fall hit, strange things begin happening." The old man continued, voice lowering to an almost silent degree. "First, there was a continuous hoot of an owl. The older male didn't think much about it as he stroked the flaming fires but for some reason, everything in the forest became eerily silent."

Sasuke listened to the tale, disbelief written all over his face. He cursed his fate for having to travel with such a gullible prince. Seeing as Naruto was virtually on the counter trying listen to the man, nothing could be done to deter his attention.

"What else happened?" the blonde dared to ask, already feeling a chill running through his spine.

"Well, both travelers thought nothing of it until they heard a rumbling in the woods. The brave younger traveler steadily went to check what it was and that's when he saw it!"

Naruto literally fell back a little as the old man practically climbed over the counter top to get his point across. "The creature's hair was long and white, fangs practically aching to have a taste of blood, and the howl of its roar was enough to send anyone into shock!"

"Che, alright, scary monster in the forest now let's go Naruto," Sasuke finally stated out, patience gone. He treaded over to the blonde and pulled at the other's arm. Naruto, still in a daze from the story let the other drag him away.

"Beware travelers! Beware the hidden beast!" The crazy old man yelled after them, even as the door swung shut. "Beware!"

"I hate old inn keepers," Sasuke grumbled mostly to himself. "That was possibly the most idiotic, unbelievable tale I've heard through all my travels."

Naruto seemed to have snapped out of his trance and looked to the raven haired man. "Wait, you mean…it was all a lie?"

"Of course it was! Every inn keeper I've encounter always have some sort of scary rumor to tell before you leave. It's like a horrible farewell tradition for us travelers."

Naruto nodded, not thinking much about it anymore. He couldn't deny the fact that he hated scary stories. His mother use to frighten him all the time with haunting stories of neighboring kingdoms. Even though he was young, the damage was permanent and stuck with him since then. He hated his curiosity for wanting to listen to them but afterwards, his paranoia didn't know how to quit.

"Come on, the forest is about half a day's walk so we have to hurry in order to set up camp for the night." Sasuke said, snapping Naruto out of his musings.

The blonde shivered a bit at the thought of the forest. "So we're still traveling through the forest?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't we, it's the quickest route to the ca-" the lord stopped mid-sentence and thought about Naruto's questions. "Don't tell me you're afraid because of that old man's lies?"

"No!" the prince defended a bit too quickly, turning away from the other's scrutinizing gaze. "I was just curious to see your reactions, wondering if you were frightened by it." Adding in a sheepish laugh.

Sasuke had to keep himself from snorting at such a lame excuse. Being the better man, he decided to let the blonde have this one and replied with a drawn out "Right."

Both travelers walked through the streets, admiring the variety of vendors selling their merchandise. Sasuke contemplated on buying some items since it would be a bit til they reached another town. Fortunately, Naruto was already ahead of him, stopping at different places to grab at numerous items.

"Oi bastard!" the prince hollered back to him, forgetting all about the story. "Come here and pay for the stuff."

Sasuke shook his head at the blonde's banter but gave in and strode over to pay for the items. A happy Naruto meant a less annoying one.

…

"Hey dobe, go grab some wood so we can get the fire started." Sasuke ordered, throwing his sack of items to the ground. He glared at it for a second, remembering the stupid argument they had earlier.

_Flashback _

"_Hey, Sasuke, I think we need another bag." Naruto suggested to the man. _

"_Well I know we don't." Sasuke finalized back._

"_I'm being serious! Look, all this stuff is barely fitting," the prince pointed out. It was true though, the pot they had just recently bought was hardly finding space in the sack. But Sasuke wouldn't let up._

"_It looks fine to me," Sasuke countered, keeping his amusement to a mild degree. Naruto's face contorting into anger was priceless to watch. Though, the raven really didn't think they needed so much. Not that he was against carrying some of the load, three days in the wilderness was not enough to pack two bags. _

"_Look prissy bastard, if you don't want to carry a bag I can drag them both, just go get another one!" the prince yelled back. It was loud enough that on lookers began to whisper not too quietly about what a lazy partner the blonde had. Sasuke scowled a bit and glared at the by passers. _

"_Fine idiot." _

_End Flashback _

Even after pledging to carry both bags, Sasuke ended up having to haul the heavier one anyway. He noted the blonde nodding absently before walking off in the north direction. The nobleman eyed the area a bit before settling down. It was a good clearing surrounded by a shroud of bushes near the side. The land was flat and suitable enough for them to lay some blankets down for sleep. He decided to set the place up early since there was still enough light left before the sun vanished.

Sasuke worked in peace, setting up the necessary things. So into his work, he didn't even notice Naruto returning with a huge pile of dry wood to burn. The blonde carelessly dropped it to the floor, nowhere near Sasuke's bedding area and proceeded to start the fire. He grabbed a few pieces and walked over towards the raven.

The pair worked in silence, Sasuke putting out things and Naruto actually succeeding in building the fire. It wasn't until nightfall did both men plop onto the thin mats in exhaustion.

"See, if we didn't get that extra bag, we'd be sleeping on dirt." Naruto said cheekily, grinning at the lord. Sasuke didn't reply but instead grabbed a pot from the sack. Inserting a wooden rode through the handles, he easily placed it over the fire. It was held up by two Y sticks, standing up sturdily from the ground thanks to a blonde haired prince.

Naruto watched intently as Sasuke poured a container of what seemed like beef stew they had purchased from a nice mother of four. Her husband was a traveling merchant and to make money at home, she sold carry out soup. All it took was just some reheating, was her words. The only bad thing was the soup merely lasted two days if it wasn't refrigerated.

"Hey Sasuke do you need-" Naruto stopped for a second, when he heard a faint noise in the background. The blonde didn't even catch that the sun had already set and the only light was coming from the blazing fire. Looking up into the sky the stars shone radiantly too but the moon was only half apparent.

"What?" Sasuke asked, opening the can's lid to pour the soup in. He grabbed at a ladle and stirred the contents in the pot continuously as Naruto stilled.

"Do you hear that?" the blonde finally answered. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in confusion until the faint noise made it to his ears.

"It's just owls hooting at night dobe, that's what they do." The raven said with an eye roll. If he ever met that inn keeper again, he'd be sure to nail those lips shut.

"Yeah but the old man said that after night fall the travelers…" the prince trailed off, thinking mostly to himself. Sasuke shrugged at the moron's antics and constantly rotated his wrist to mix the soup.

"Why is it so quiet Sasuke?" Naruto asked, scooting a bit closer to the lord.

"Maybe it's because no one's talking now move over or else the fire might burn you," Sasuke retorted back. The blonde apologized inaudibly before scurrying back behind the raven. The paranoia was getting to him and it didn't help that the old man's words kept repeating over and over like a mantra in his head. So lost in thought, Naruto didn't even realize when Sasuke handed him a bowl of soup.

"Dobe," the raven stated, trying to snap the idiot out of his delusions. "Food."

Having the sweet aroma hit his nostrils; he instantly forgot about the rumor and thanked the other graciously. They both ate in a comfortable manner and after finishing everything off, rinsing the dishes with what little water they had, Naruto regretted becoming so frightened.

"Oi Sasuke, you know I really don't like scary stories," the blonde admitted as he lied down on his mat for the night.

"Really, I couldn't even tell," Sasuke voiced back sarcastically with a smirk in place. He gently probed at the fire with the wooden rode, volunteering to keep watch first.

Naruto smiled lightly instead of getting angry. Maybe it was the fact that he had a full stomach of good food and was lying down comfortably but, everything was just right. At that moment, he didn't have a care for anything else in the world and nothing mattered. Until a slight rumbling in the bushes jerked him wide awake.

"What was that?" the blonde hastily muttered out to Sasuke. The raven heard it too but was much more rational than the other.

"It was probably nothing just go-"

Before he could finish the sentence, the unnerving sound grew louder and the bushes begin to shake as if something was going to come out.

Naruto made a beeline dash and quickly latched onto Sasuke, holding him as tightly as possible.

"It's the hidden monster and it's going to eat us!" Naruto shouted into the wilderness. His gripped tightened around the other and was practically clinging on for dear life. "Sasuke I'm sorry for calling you a bastard! I don't actually hate you, you're a pretty nice guy regardless of all those horrible comments you make about me being dumb."

"Dobe what are you-"

"I think you're attractive!" Naruto blurted out unconsciously, snuggling his face into the other's silky smooth hair. Sasuke chuckled to himself at the honest outburst; the blonde was truly an idiot. He was about to comment back when he caught sight of something white appearing from behind the bushes.

"Agh hidden monster!" Naruto screamed, shielding his face from the onslaught of undesirable vision to come. Long bloodied fangs and hideously bulging eyes, he could imagine it all.

"Hey kid, who you calling a hidden monster?" a gruff voice answered back. "Wait did I interrupt something?"

The blonde stopped in mid scream and slowly turned to see this monster. What he saw was surprisingly just a huge man. The older guy had red lines drawn down his eyes and was wearing more of an older style of Japanese clothing, clearly not from around the area. His hair on the other hand was frightening as it trailed well past his backside towards the ground. To top it off, it was undeniably white. No wonder people mistook him for a monster.

"Don't tell me you guys are into that kinky dirty talk where hidden monster is code name for your-"

"Ugh No! You old man pervert!" Naruto bellowed back, swiftly detaching himself from Sasuke. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm out on research boy! There's this nice onsen house not too far from here, great for exploration!" the man bellowed out before giving a wide grin. "So, what brings you two lovers to this side of the woods?"

"We're not lovers," Naruto grumbled back, a huge blush covering his face when he remembered what he said. "Just traveling companions."

"Sure sure, traveling companions with benefits right? Well, nice to meet you! But farewell I'm off to do conduct some studies!" the old man stated before making his way back into the bush.

Before any of them could ask what the stranger's name was, he vanished into the shrouds of darkness. Leaving behind a very confused raven and a very embarrassed blonde.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted with a crooked smirk before grabbing a few more pieces of wood to throw into the dwindling fire. "Hidden monster right?"

"Shut up bastard," Naruto defended, his pride level sinking down to zero. "His hair was misleading."

"Right," The raven replied back, voice dripped with skepticism. "So what does that have to do with you thinking I'm sexy?"

Naruto almost tripped getting back to his mat. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before replying, "I only said attractive, bastard not sexy. Jeez, just when I thought your ego couldn't get any bigger."

Sasuke only smiled softly in return but didn't say anymore for the night.

…

**A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I actually really liked the whole writing process of this one. I kept thinking back to that SpongeBob episode of the hash slinging slasher or something along those lines. Please review though!**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey everyone! Not as quick of an update but I think I'm doing good. Started going back to school again so updates might slow down a little, but I will finish the story at all cost. This chapter is actually one of the longest I think, and still it isn't even that long haha. On to the story!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Chapter 6**

**Not Again**

…

"Ahhh! It feels so good to be out of that creepy forest," Naruto exclaimed, stretching his arms wide into the open air. The morning breeze softly graced his sun kissed skin, making him hum in pleasure at the feeling.

"Yeah feels good because you don't have to drag all this shit around." Sasuke complained from behind the blonde Adonis. True they had used up most of their resources while spending the past three days in the forest but, it was still a hassle to lung the rest. He watched the blonde carefully grab at a random fruit from a nearby bush and examine it thoroughly before chomping down on it.

"Stop complaining, it's not that bad" the prince replied back happily with a mouth full. He grabbed at another green fruit and threw it at the raven. "Eat it; it's good for your health."

Sasuke caught it effortlessly, even with two sacks hanging off his shoulder. He inspected it for the longest time before sending the blonde a curious look.

"Are you sure dobe? I wouldn't just be randomly eating fruits off the bushes," the lord questioned to the cheerful idiot.

"Yeah, I used to pick these fruits all the time in Lavonia. They're only native to this land." Naruto reassured as he took another bite out of the round object. Sasuke contemplated the thought of eating it but seeing as the other knew more about Lavonia's nature, he hesitantly took a small bite. The succulent juice quickly numbed his taste buds and begged for another nibble. For once, Naruto was actually right. It was absolutely delicious!

"See, good right?" the prince jaded before hastily treading over to the raven. He grabbed the lesser bag whilst dazzling a beautiful smile and ran ahead. Sasuke didn't bother to waste his energy and slugged after the hyper blonde. For the past three day he'd barely gotten any sleep at all. Both travelers were supposed to switch watch shifts so the other could sleep but by day two when Sasuke awoke to change shifts, the blonde was fast asleep. After a good beating and scolding, the raven decided to just keep watch at all times seeing there was no point in having Naruto guard.

"Come on Sasuke, I can almost see the bridge from here!" Naruto yelled back at the lagging man. He ignored the death glare in which was sent his way and ran closer towards the bridge. He didn't quite remember crossing it as a child but definitely knew it was beautifully built. Set more on a steeper hill, the bridge was named after Rein Decorous, an admired architecture of their time. He remembered his parents arranging a meeting with Decorous to build a smaller country side castle but regrettably, he caught a deadly virus and died.

Naruto frowned at the thought. He would have loved to meet the man who built such a magnificent bridge but that idea didn't seem possible anymore.

"Hey blondie?" a voice pierced through his lingering thoughts. Naruto turned quickly and spotted a strange looking man staring back at him. He was leaned against one of the tall poles that supported the bridge and definitely had a look of mischief. The prince gulped a bit before turning around to see if Sasuke was behind him but unfortunately, the nobleman was nowhere in sight.

"Are you crossing over the bridge?" the uncanny man asked, propelling himself off the pole and slandering towards the blonde.

"Well actually I was just about to-"

Not even being able to finish his sentence, Naruto felt a weird sensation wrack through his whole body. It was like a light switch was flipped and instantly his whole body completely shut down.

…

_Dobe, wake up_

Naruto could barely comprehend anything yet a lone think. His mind was muddled and the last thing he remembered was blacking out.

_Naruto please…wake up…_

That voice was calling out to him again, and this time it was getting louder. Much to the blonde's displeasure, he willed himself to open his eyes. Hesitantly, a bright light blurred his vision as his lids fluttered opened. Adjusting slowly to the lighting, Naruto studied his surroundings and saw warm colored walls. It wasn't too extravagant, simply decorated with good taste. He tried to get up and noticed that he was lying in a wooden tub.

"Naruto!"

The prince turned to his side after groggily scooting up into a sitting position. The water was way too hot and did nothing but make him sweat. Shaking his head a few times to clear up his vision, the man finally connected eyes with a hypnotizing gaze.

"Sasuke?" Naruto muffled out, feeling so drained. He kept his eye trained on the raven's face as it slowly inched closer and closer to his. The raven's hot breath fanned his face gently and did nothing to help lower the hot temperature.

"Naruto," that sinful voice slowly drawled out. Just when the blonde was about to delve into the deep richness, a powerful fist promptly brought him back to reality.

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?" the prince yelled, hands rapidly coming to nurse the spot where Sasuke just hit him. If he wasn't awake before he definitely was now.

"You fucking moron! You almost killed us!" Sasuke shouted angrily at the other male. Oh how badly the lord wanted to choke the idiot.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Naruto blabbered back, ready to get out of the tub. He attempted to escape but strong pale hands pushed him back down into the hot water.

"I would advise that it's best you stay in the tub," a voiced echoed from behind the raven. Both heads easily snapped to the entrance to see a tall mysterious man with arms crossed over his chest.

"Gyah Sasuke, it's another hidden monster!" Naruto yelled, immediately going back down in the water to hide his nudity. The blonde watched nervously as the man chuckled disturbingly and walked away.

"Was it just me or was there a pervert standing by the door?" the prince asked, clearly so confused as to why he was in a hot tub and naked in front of a child molester. Instead of an answer the blonde got another big thwack on the head with the raven's fist. Apparently it was abuse Naruto day because that was the only logical reason as to why he kept getting hit.

"You complete and utter- Jesus Christ Naruto! I just don't understand how you can be so dense sometimes. How are you going to become King in a couple of days if you can't even stop making reckless mistakes? Besides that, you should be old enough to comprehend- gyah!" Sasuke exploded. He was out of breath and literally running off of an adrenaline frenzy. His fists were clenched tight and jaws locked up firmly.

Naruto could only stare back in confusion. For some unknown reason the words that Sasuke were throwing out this time…hurt. All the name calling and verbal abuse brought a huge frown to his face. His fingers twisted awkwardly under the water and he felt…pathetic in front of the raven.

"I…I don't even know what I-"

"Those stupid fruit weren't edible, they were poisonous." Sasuke all but sighed out to the air-headed prince. "They're called Green Temptress because they look like a lot of other regular fruits. But their nectar infects the body and the blood flow, causing black outs then complete shut down."

Naruto's eyes widen dramatically as Sasuke finished explaining the cause. He truly felt senseless at that moment, for not seeing the difference in texture. Not only did he almost kill himself but he almost took the raven's life as well.

"Listen Sasuke I-"

"Save it," Was all that was muttered. "Until you learn to take responsibility for your own actions, your apologies, your words…they all mean nothing."

As if in slow motion, Sasuke's body rose tiredly off the floor, like he hadn't rested in weeks. Naruto watched solemnly, eyes trailing after the other as he exited without a word. Cerulean orbs lingered a bit at the doorway but he knew that Sasuke wasn't returning any time soon. The raven might as well have slapped him across the face. Then again, a slap in the face would have been better than the treatment that he was receiving. Sinking into the hot water, the blonde wanted to drown. The other's strong words resonated through his mind, repeating over and over again.

"_Until you learn to take responsibility for your own actions, your apologies, your words…they all mean nothing…"_

"Nothing…"Naruto mumbled just an inch above the water.

"There are far worst things out there Naruto," a voice whispered closely to his ears.

The blonde nodded in agreement before realizing that there was another presence in the room. Being so lost in thought, Naruto didn't even hear another person enter. Nervously, he turned to see a smiling brunette, much more approachable than the other silver haired male.

"Hi!" the older man happily stated, waving a hand for extra effect. "My name is Iruka, and we were the ones who took you guys in."

Naruto quickly assessed the other male, noting a weird scar that was etched across his nose and the brown hair that was tightly pulled back. Unlike the other creeper, Iruka radiated friendliness and had a gentle smile to match the warmth.

"I'm Naruto, thank you so much for helping us out." Naruto replied back gratefully. "If there is anything I can do to return the favor, please just let me know."

"Oh it's nothing at all. Besides, Konohamaru was the one that found you so please think him." The brunette voiced back, completely flattered by the gratitude.

The prince figured that Konohamaru was probably the shady character from the bridge. Who would have guessed?

"I'll be sure to thank him if I see him again." Naruto said more to himself than Iruka. More importantly though, he wanted to find Sasuke and apologize for his carelessness. Bringing a hand to latch onto the side of the tub, he observed how pruny all his fingers were.

"Oh, Naruto, please just stay in the tub for a bit longer," Iruka rushed out when he saw the blonde getting ready to stand. "The only way to get the poison out is through heat. You have to sweat it out, that's why you're in hot water."

"Ohhh," the prince muttered out. "No wonder that pervert told me to stay seated."

At that comment, he heard Iruka chuckle lightly before pouring a bucket of hot water into the tub. "Sorry, I had to leave to get more hot water so I told Kakashi to keep an eye on you. He does come across as a strange guy but he has good intentions."

"I find that a bit hard to believe," Naruto murmured under his breath, slinking back into the water. It felt more like he was getting cooked than anything else. "Did Sasuke already get his bath?"

"Yeah, but he only just got out a while ago. Kakashi said he kept squirming because you weren't conscious yet, I guess he was concerned." Iruka responded while grabbing at the empty bucket. "I think you should be almost good. Just let me go grab a towel and I'll help you out."

The blonde nodded absently, not really focused at the moment. All he could still think about was Sasuke, and how it had seemed like the nobleman was so angry. He'd seen the raven agitated before but not like he had just witnessed. It was probably from all the built up frustration over the past week.

He shifted uncomfortable in the wooden tub, sloshing the water back and forth. This was exactly why he hated the silence. It was always so lonely and made thinking twice as perplexing.

"I'll try harder…to be your prince, Sasuke." Naruto released into the open space. He closed his eyes in satisfaction, bent on keeping that promise. Unknowingly though, dark eyes shifted guiltily near the doorway and the figure retreated back towards the opposite direction.

…

"Here Naru-chan you must be hungry…please eat up." Kakashi offered, sliding over a pleasant bowl of green vegetables to the blonde.

"Please don't call me that," Naruto politely declined and grabbed at the handed bowl. After finally getting out of the cooking pot, Iruka led him to a guest room where he found his clothes. The brunette was kind enough to have had washed them and folded them neatly in a pile. The prince thanked him repeatedly but it seemed that Iruka was just naturally kind.

Naruto smiled to himself at the thought while biting into the home cooked meal that the caretaker also prepared. It was such a refreshment to find people who were just kind-hearted in nature.

"What are you smiling about Naru-chan?" Kakashi inquired once more, with a weird glint in his eyes. The blonde's smile instantly thinned out into confusion. How Iruka ended up with the silver-haired pervert would be a question to ponder for quite some time.

"Kakashi would you stop making Naruto feel so awkward," Iruka glared from his side of the table. The prince watched in fascination as the conversation continued back and forth between the two. Oddly though, he noted that Kakashi continuously wore a dark cloth covering at least three fourths of his face. That was yet another mystery to be discovered.

"Hey Kakashi," Naruto cut off hesitantly. "Why do you wear a mask on your face?"

Just before he finished the question he saw Iruka flash him a wide eyed look as if he'd just opened Pandora's Box.

"Why Naru-chan, I'm so glad you asked that question. You see, I wear it because I'm so handsome that Iruka gets jealous of others seeing my beauty. I don't want to upset my poor house wife so I try to adjust to his rules."

"That is not true Kakashi! You tell everyone a different story each time. The last time a little boy asked, you said it was because you were a fugitive trying to hide from the imperial soldiers." Iruka reprimanded the older man.

"Maa maa Iruka, don't get so upset. You just don't like the fact that I tell people you get jealous." Kakashi answered back in a sing-song like voice.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at their bizarre behavior. He remembered when his mom and dad used to get all riled up at each other like that too. It was mostly always about some small topic but boy did Kushina have a temper. Just seeing how the other two interacted brought a stab of pain to his heart. There were things Naruto regretted, and that was probably the biggest one of them. He tried forgetting about it however. Dwelling in the past wouldn't benefit anyone and would just hurt more in the end. It might be foolish but for the prince, maybe repressing was the best option at the moment.

The blonde shook himself out of thought but looked away from the couple across him. Kakashi was beginning to make physical advances on Iruka and that was something he did not want to see. Turning to the right, Naruto noticed Sasuke hadn't said a word throughout the whole dinner. He watched the raven eat efficiently and silently not partaking in the motions going on around the table.

Naruto frowned at this and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. What could he say? Sasuke wouldn't bother to listen anyway. And so…the blonde just watched. He watched the raven finish his food with the grace of a King. Watched pale hands push against the table in order to slide out. Watched thin lips move to form the words thank you and then watched him disappear into the dim lit hallway.

"Naruto…" Iruka's concerned voice broke through his somber trance. Cloudy blue eyes turned to the warm-hearted man and saw that they were the only ones left. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Naruto faked with a small laugh. "Where'd Kakashi go?"

"Oh I told him to go set up the guest room for you two," Iruka said offhandedly. "Hey, I can finish up the cleaning…how about you go talk to Sasuke."

At that Naruto cringed internally, knowing well it was easier said than done. "Nah, I'm sure he doesn't want to talk to me right now after what I did."

"Listen; don't beat yourself up about it. It was an honest mistake that many people make, not just you. Why don't you go wait outside? We have a small clearing outback that's a bit more private." Iruka suggested, while grabbing a few plates off the table. "I'll go grab Sasuke."

"But wait, Iru-"

"No buts, you aren't twelve year olds anymore. It's time to handle things like an adult and talk it out." The brunette lectured back. The comment really struck a nerve and now, Naruto couldn't back out. He nodded unwillingly and bowed respectfully for the food before leaving. Listening to what Iruka had said, he found the back door and stepped outside into the night air. It was a bit chilly but refreshing nonetheless. The small three bedroom house that Iruka and Kakashi lived in was quite nice. It was relatively a mile away from the town but, living in such a stunningly secluded area was well worth it.

He felt the wind run through his hair like an invisible hand, and smiled softly because his mother used to do that to him all the time. He mindlessly wandered forward into the night, not exactly blind because the moon was shining so brightly. After about five minute trek, Naruto stumbled upon a small pond with a stone makeshift bench. Both looked to be manmade and figuring that it was probably Iruka's handiwork, not Kakashi's, he sat down on the bench. The blonde pondered many thoughts while seeking comfort from the moon. Most of all, Naruto couldn't help but think that Sasuke wouldn't show up.

…

Sasuke walked quietly back to the guest room that Kakashi had provided for him earlier. Dinner was awkward and even more with Naruto staring at him the whole time. He didn't know what to say. The raven wanted to apologize for being a bit over the top but Naruto was so…Naruto. He knew Naruto wouldn't be ready; there was no way the prince would be prepared to take on his responsibilities. But then, he thought back to those small words that he heard the blonde say.

"_I'll try harder…to be your prince, Sasuke." _

Those words reverberated through his mind nonstop. He knew Naruto was capable and slowly adjusting but something just made him snapped. Maybe it was the fact that the idiot blonde was acting so carefree after his near death experience. Sasuke disregarded the thought. He wanted to avoid that word as much as possible but it seemed like the reaper was intent to follow him where he went.

Finally making his way to the room, he creaked opened the door and went inside. It was a plain room with just a wardrobe, dresser, and bed. It was simple but yet comfortable at the same time, all thanks to the owners. The raven slouched heavily, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. There was still so much to be done when they got to Lavonia…and so much that Naruto didn't know. He strolled towards the bed and sunk his back into the soft mattress. It felt heavenly compared to dirt floor he'd endured the past couple of days. Sasuke raised his pale arms and crossed them over his eyes, trying to shield off the moon's bright light. It didn't help that the bed was anchored right next to the window.

Slowly, Sasuke begin to drift, wanting nothing more than to just sleep his problems away. He would stir awake every now and then but finally, sleep was beginning to take its toll. The lord was one closed eyelid away from floating into deep slumber when the room door was slammed opened.

"Sasuke!"

Instantaneously, the raven jerked awake, wondering what was so urgent that Kakashi would look so tousled. He stood erectly, facing the taller man. "What happened?"

"Naruto. Naruto's going to run away!" the silver haired man stated breathlessly. "He ran out through the back door with a sack, saying something about ungrateful bastards."

Sasuke didn't need to be told twice, all sleep rapidly disappeared and he was out the door in a flash. Kakashi easily maneuvered himself out of the way already, expecting the reaction. As soon as he heard the back door closing shut, the older man effortlessly combed his hair back into place and fixed his loose cotton shirt.

"You know Kakashi, when I told you to get Sasuke to go out back to talk to Naruto, I didn't mean lie to him." Iruka scolded from the door way. The brunette crossed his arms in disappointment as he saw Kakashi's mask crinkle, probably from a smirk.

"Well I got the job done didn't I? Look how fast he ran out there." The sly man responded happily, making his way over to his pouting spouse. "Besides, I think it'd be good for Prince Sasuke and Naruto to finally fulfill the contract made so long ago."

…

**A/N: That's it for this chapter! I can't wait to write the next installment and I threw in some hints in here too, to see if anyone can get them. Oh and yes, Sasuke is the other prince but a lot of you already knew that beforehand so no surprise there. Please review and tell me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey Everyone! It's been a while since I updated and from now on I'm going to be honest and say that I have no idea when I will update again. School's being a bummer right now and work just adds more to the stress. But have no fear that I will finish this story! And that is an honest answer right there. Really I feel kind of rusty from having not updated in so long so please don't be too harsh on this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Period.**

**Warnings: Maybe a bit of OOC'ness. You've been warned!**

**Chapter 7**

**A Slight Misunderstanding**

…

_Naruto ran away again. _

As soon as those words had left Kakashi's lips, Sasuke's body moved on its own accordance and he ran. Blood pumped through his veins and his face burned from anger. How could the prince leave after promising not to run anymore? The lord felt cheated, betrayed, but most of all, he felt a constant jabbing pain at his heart. He knew that they rarely got along with each other but even the past week hadn't been so horrible. To say Naruto was annoying to him was the truth but, he liked the comfortable banter between them. It felt nice to have someone…close again. It didn't feel so empty anymore when he could share his emotions with the prince. Sasuke worried less because the blonde was always making conversations for them, distracting him.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered into the night air when he stepped out back. He looked around trying to spot any movements but got nothing. One thought flashed through his mind and he prayed it wasn't true. He prayed to the gods above that Naruto was still within reach.

Taking in a deep breath to calm his nerves, Sasuke ran forward towards the rock path and followed it into the throngs of wilderness.

…

Naruto sat completely still, waiting in the silence of the night. It was a bit nerve wrecking because there was no one else there but him. Directing his gaze to the small pond, his reflection was mirrored back to him.

"You know Naruto, you shouldn't have run away all those years ago." He scolded to himself. "If you wouldn't have done that then everything would actually be okay, your parents would still be alive and you would have never caused any trouble to Sasuke."

He sighed watching the water image do the same thing too. The blonde had a bad habit of over thinking when he was alone and the guilt he buried down kept resurfacing. No matter what he did, it was always his fault. Slowly, he stood up and walked past the pond towards a nearby tree. It wasn't even two seconds later did he hear footsteps nearby and felt his heart beat faster. Naruto was so nervous, what would Sasuke even say? What would he say? The more the questions filled his mind the faster his heart beat until finally another figure appeared into the clearing.

Naruto took notice of Sasuke's disheveled form and for an instant, their eyes connected. It was as if an electric shock went through the blonde's system and he froze watching Sasuke stride to him. Before the other could even say the raven's name a hard punch landed on his left cheek. The prince fell backwards out of shock and could only stare at the seething raven. His whiskered cheek throbbed in pain and tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

"What the fuck Sasuke!" Naruto yelled out in anger, trying to stand back up from the impact. He didn't get a reply but he could hear the heavy breathing from the other. The man was more than angry and definitely running off on an adrenaline rush.

"Don't you dare say anything you coward," Sasuke countered back to the blonde, voice laced with the most venom he could muster. "What Naruto? Couldn't take the heat so you're going to run again?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto said, confusion clearly written all over his face as he stood to face the other. Quickly, he was pushed back, barely able to stand his ground as Sasuke advance forward like an angry bear.

"Don't try to play innocent here when we all know the truth?" the raven huffed out, his mind no longer filtering what should and shouldn't be said. "It's your entire fault that everything happened and yet you still can't man up to take the blame."

The blonde couldn't voice his thoughts anymore. Though he was confused to why Sasuke was throwing all these harsh words to him, it still hurt like a knife stabbing right through to his heart. He could hear the anger laced in each statement and couldn't help but flinch at the truth. Naruto down casted his head in disgrace, all his efforts of pushing the problem back quickly crumbled. Sasuke took the chance and shoved the other against the tree harshly, raven eyes glaring death at him. Naruto winced as the rough bark rubbed painfully against his back.

"I'm…sorry." Naruto muttered out pathetically. He hated his insecurity when it revolved around this subject. No matter how hard he tried not give in to the guilt, Sasuke's presence was always a constant reminder of his immoral choice.

"Don't try to lie to me, I'm not an idiot Naruto." the lord bit back bitterly, pushing harder against the smaller male. "You said that you weren't going to run again, and here you are lying to me. Is that it! Aren't you ashamed enough that your parents are dead? What more do you want until you realize the truth?"

Those words cut deep and finally pushed Naruto over the edge. In a swift movement that Sasuke didn't expect, he kneed the other powerfully in the stomach. The raven's hold loosened up and Naruto took the chance to push the other man back roughly. When there was a good distance between them he aimed a strong blow to Sasuke's jaw. The blonde watched the pale noble stagger back a few paces and clenched his fist in rage.

"Don't you dare say those things to me." Naruto growled out through clenched teeth. He couldn't take it anymore and was tired of being the man's insult doll. The blonde was furious; frustration barely contained while replaying all the things that Sasuke had said to him. "I know what I did was wrong but I don't need your sorry ass to remind me." Like a domino effect, Sasuke's words hit something hard and the words just kept knocking down more and more barriers. "I know there's no way I can ever repent for my sins but I want to try. I want to try and make things right for once."

He didn't even know it but tears wore flowing freely from his eyes. Just like a waterfall, the tears were rapidly cascading down his cheeks, not slowing down either. Naruto was crashing, and there was no stopping it. It hurt, everything just hurt so much. He down casted his head once again, some tears hitting the ground in silent thump. He must have looked pitiful but the blonde didn't care. He needed this release, needed to cry all the guilt out. "I know that my mother and father may never be able to forgive such a disobedient son but I'm trying. Father always told me that it's never too late to change if a person's heart is in the right place. And I know now where my heart belongs."

Sasuke could only stare in shock at the other's outburst. It didn't make sense at all. If Naruto was running away then why would he want to try and make things right? Quickly the raven scanned their surroundings and noticed that there wasn't a sack anywhere, not even a bag. Something clicked inside his mind and he realized the truth. Sasuke had been tricked by that stupid pervert. Because of his idiocy, he not only punched Naruto but also…made him…cry. That was possibly two of the worst combinations anyone could ever inflict on another person. To say that he felt like a jerk would have been an understatement. He felt like a royal bastard and would gladly accept any punishment at the moment to rid himself of the guilty ache. Gradually he moved to the unaware prince and slid strong arms around the man. He pressed the blonde's head against his chest and pressed both their bodies together. Sasuke felt Naruto flinched in surprise and in response, only pulled him closer.

The pair stayed together for the longest time and in the end it was Naruto who pushed the raven away. Sasuke unwillingly let go and scooted a few inches back, arms still lingering a bit on Naruto's waist.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke apologized, reaching out a hand to grab at the others chin. Lifting it up, he was hit with a tidal wave of oceanic wonder. The moonlight did wonders highlighting the prince's features and made his eyes even more drowning. He leisurely wiped at the tear streaks on the other's cheek, wanting to erase all evidence of Naruto's pain. Without thinking, the raven leaned in hesitantly, wavering for a millisecond before kissing away the moisture at the blonde's eyes.

Naruto just stood there, paralyzed as Sasuke did a complete one eighty and begin pampering him with affection. Wasn't the guy just yelling and throwing punches at him a few seconds ago? And now he was tenderly showering him with kisses?

"What're you doing Sasuke," Naruto stammered out tiredly, a small hiccup making its way out. He struggled against the muscular chest to create some sort of space between them. Sighing gently, he dared a curious look upwards just to see the raven's eyes staring intently back at him. Naruto's breath hitched at the stare and like looking into Medusa's eyes, he froze in place. Sasuke took his chance and slowly descended down, brushing his thin lips against the blonde's teasingly.

"I'm sorry Naruto," he spoke again. Naruto couldn't even comprehend anything, too focused on the tantalizing feel of Sasuke's mouth sweeping across his upper lip. And before the blonde even had time to protest, it connected with his in a savoring kiss. He felt his knees grow weak and instantly, Sasuke's arms rewrapped themselves around him, pulling the younger male closer into oblivion. The raven claimed him and probed hard for an entrance to the prince's cavern. Reluctantly, Naruto shyly responded, creating an opening for the nobleman to explore til his heart was content. It was exactly what Sasuke wanted too, and he didn't hesitate to slide his tongue in. If it wasn't for earlier events, the kiss would have been so perfect. The prince's taste was so bold and addicting it made him dizzy with lust. The raven's lips moved expertly like he'd done it a million times, smoldering the younger man with affection. Sasuke didn't know what possessed him to kiss Naruto but, he felt no regret what so ever.

Finally breaking away, he couldn't help but give another quick peck to those full lips, wanting to do so much more to it. Both men were breathing erratically, neither saying a word but millions of thoughts running through both their minds. That's when it hit Naruto and quickly he jerked back as if he'd been scorched by a hot flame.

"No." Was all he said, shoving the older man away. "You think that just by kissing me, everything is going to be okay? What are you playing at here Sasuke?"

Sasuke couldn't grasp anything that was being said, the high of the kiss still lingering in his mouth, numbing his mind. Naruto took the silence in a complete different way and glared at the Uchiha.

"Listen here you bastard, I'm not some toy you can manipulate as you please! First you punch me, say all these horrible shit, and now you're kissing me? What the fuck?" Naruto yelled out in anger, fists clenched so tightly it could have drawn blood. "Are you even hearing a word of this?"

"Yes, I hear you idiot," Sasuke murmured out sluggishly, coming down from the high. "I'm not using you, I just…"

He just what? Sasuke didn't know how to continue that response. What was it that made him lean into the blonde prince to kiss those alluring lips? What was that lingering sensation still sending jolts of pleasure all throughout his body? He didn't know.

"Just what, Sasuke?" Naruto questioned, body tense as can be and eyes lowered into slits.

Sasuke looked straight at the other, not knowing how to reply. He was at a loss for words, emotions not registering the feeling. It wasn't love, there was no way it could be love. Both males continued to stare at each other, Naruto waiting for a response while Sasuke debated silently.

When the blonde noted that there probably wasn't going to be a reply, he sighed loudly mumbling incoherently about lame bastards before stomping off, back towards the house. Sasuke could only watch the retreating man disappear into the distance, leaving him alone in the clearing. There was nothing but the constant chirping of the night that kept the lone noble company.

…

"So how did last night's conversation go?" Kakashi happily chirped at the yawning blonde. After the longest time, Sasuke finally returned to their designated room, formally apologizing about the miscommunication. Apparently Kakashi had lied saying that Naruto had run away and that's what caused the onslaught of unplanned actions. The blonde forgave the Uchiha warily but still harbored a bit of curiosity over the uninvited kiss. _That _was something that neither had bothered to mention.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naruto replied back half-heartedly, taking a place at the table for breakfast.

"Well seeing as I saw the whole thing, I guess wanting your opinion wouldn't be relevant then, ne?" the silver haired man answered gleefully with an all knowing look. A quick blush ignited its way across the blonde's cheek as he glared hatefully towards the older male. The man didn't even bat any eyelash at the heated look but continued to smile through his cloth mask.

"Kakashi I told you to stop doing that," Iruka reprimanded as he brought in a tray of food. Setting it down lightly he slapped the other in the back of the head, trying to rid the creepy smirk off his face.

"I apologize if Kakashi caused you guys any trouble last night with his quick tongue. He gets carried away with words." Iruka said sincerely. Naruto shrugged it off explaining that it wasn't anything to be worried about. Even though both men had nearly strangled each other last night, at least things had gone to somewhat of a semi balance again.

And right on que, the raven haired noble walked into the room, taking a seat begrudgingly beside Kakashi. Surprisingly, the silver haired man refrained from mentioning anymore about last night but he still had that knowing look in his visible eye. Sasuke chose not to comment and grabbed at an offered plate from Iruka. He ignored the creepy pervert sitting beside him and reached out for a piece of toast. Ironically enough Naruto just had to be grabbing at the same toast as him, both their hands connecting for a brief second before the blonde pulled away. Sasuke sighed irritably and fished for a different piece, wanting the day to be over already.

"So," Iruka began, trying to break the silence in the room. "When will you guys be heading out again?"

Naruto wasn't exactly sure how to answer because really, he didn't even know himself. Hesitantly, he looked to Sasuke for an answer but the other was busy stuffing his mouth with food.

"Well, I'm not sure but I know we have to get back to Lavonia fairly quickly." Naruto decided. He didn't hear a protest from Sasuke so he figured the answer was suiting to the bastard.

"Oh, because there's a new moon festival taking place tonight if you both want to attend. There's even an old saying that if a wish is made underneath the tall oak tree near midnight, then it will come true." Iruka finished, looking to the two men for any interest.

"I'm sure that's just a myth," Sasuke replied a bit too quickly, reverting back to picking at the scrambled eggs on his plate. "…not all wishes are plausible enough to grant."

"Jeez Sasuke it's just an old saying," Naruto huffed to the pessimistic lord. "Besides, I would understand why they do it. Even if the people knew that their wishes wouldn't come true, they'd still wish with the hopes that it might happen."

"Idiot, if they know it won't come true then why even bother wishing for it." Sasuke rebutted, staring straight at the stubborn blonde.

"Hey it's just a tale let's not get-" Before Iruka could even finish a hand easily slipped its way over and covered his mouth, preventing any more sounds.

"Ma Iruka, I don't think they're even listening to you." Kakashi jaded in, whispering closely to his ear. "You shouldn't waste your breath on the two. I think they're even denser than we've perceived."

Iruka just nodded his head in agreement, gently removing the other's hand from his mouth. Both older male didn't say anything and just stalked off, knowing full well an argument was about to take place.

"It's called hope Sasuke. H.O.P.E." Naruto answered plainly as if talking to a child. "It's something people hold on to and rely on to make the situation a bit better. Something you obviously don't have."

"I know what hope is you moron. But obviously, people like you who believe in that stupid word are delusional because nothing can ever be accomplished through prayers a lone. If something needs to be done, just do it instead of waiting around for this thing called hope to be knocking at your door." Sasuke countered, annoyed to his wits end. There was something about the younger blonde's comment that rubbed him the wrong way. He knew what hope meant and at one point in his life, he did believe that maybe if he believed enough, all his problems could be solved but it never was. Life wasn't ever that easy.

"Sasuke…" Naruto slowly murmured out. That was probably the most he had ever heard the noble say in one go. He must have hit a nerve, or something along those lines to get the raven to rant into an outburst.

"What," Sasuke snapped back, still not quite over the conversation.

"Why did you kiss me?"

That question did the trick and all emotions of resentment were wiped away, replaced with a tingling sensation in his lower abdomen. Like a child caught with his pants down, Sasuke was speechless, not quite sure how to respond. He dared not to look over at the prince, knowing well that those endless orbs would swallow him into an ocean abyss.

"I don't know….it just seemed like the right thing to do," Sasuke concluded, unsure if that answer would satisfy the question. He finally chanced a look at the blonde, sighing mentally in relief that the other wasn't even staring his way. Instead the prince was busy moving a random piece of food on his plate, back on forth with his fork. There was quietness for the next couple of minutes only with the exception of constant clattering of silver ware. Sasuke continue to watch, waiting for a reply.

"When rulers make decisions to negotiate instead of going to war, how do they know it's the right thing to do? How do they know that the enemy won't turn around and stab them right back. A treaty is nothing but a piece of paper." Naruto said at last, setting his fork down and staring the raven straight in the eyes. "Tell me Sasuke, since you're a prestigious lord, how do they know?"

Sasuke was again speechless with no reply. What was Naruto getting at here, asking random questions? "They don't. There's no way possible for them to predict what the other person may or may not do."

"Exactly." Naruto agreed, scooting his chair back, motioning for his leave. "Then why do they even do it in the first place?"

"Because they…"Sasuke started…hesitating a little. He knew what the prince was doing now.

"Because they have to hope Sasuke, they have to hope that everything will somehow turn out the way they want." Naruto finished, knowing the stubborn man would never admit it. "Sometimes, we can try and use all our might to change what we perceive is wrong. Most of the time, what we want corrected can be done without help but you know…even some things we can't control. And those thing right there, is what kills us the most. That's why people like me believe in that stupid word. It's that four lettered word that keeps me going, keeps me optimistic that people like you can understand it one day."

With that, Naruto quietly excused himself, leaving Sasuke all alone at the dining table.

…

**A/N: So how was it? I feel so lost to fandom that I really do need to get back into updating again. I miss the feeling of interacting with my reviewers. Please Review and Follow! And also, vote in your review! Do you think Sasuke and Naruto should go to the Moon Festival or not?**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey Everyone! I'm so glad to have another update ready to go for you guys. Since more breaks are coming up I might be able to give my readers faster updates. Hopefully I can, but no promises. Thank you to all my readers and reviewers, seriously, I love you all! Also please forgive any mistakes that you see, I try to go over everything a million times but I just can't catch them all (sorry Ash).**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Warnings: A bit OOC maybe? And I do apologize that although I wanted to write the moon festival into here, things just didn't play out right seeing as it would be too cliché (as if my story isn't cliché enough XD) but I'm glad that everyone was engaged enough to vote. Thank you!**

**Chapter 9**

**Something Unexpected**

…

We appreciate the hospitality that you have shown us, please if there is way to repay you in the future don't hesitate to contact us." Sasuke thanked with a well-respected bow.

"It's no problem at all, are you sure about not wanting to stay for the festival though?" Iruka replied back, handing a small bag of food to the lord. "Here's a little something for the road, hopefully you both won't have much further to travel."

"Thank you." Sasuke answered, handing the small bag over to the blonde so he could put it into the sack. After breakfast another wave of silence had come over them again, with Naruto refusing to talk to him. The raven couldn't say he wasn't bothered by the treatment because in reality it irked him to no end. But all he could do was just deal with it. That was why it came as a surprise when Iruka mentioned later that it was unfortunate that they couldn't attend the festival. The lord only nodded in reply but figured that Naruto was probably the one to refuse it. Not that Sasuke minded at all but maybe, it was for the best that they didn't go. It would have been an awkward and unpleasant experience.

"Please be careful on your journey," Iruka said snapping Sasuke back to reality.

"We will. Thank you for all you've done for us." Naruto added in. Sasuke watched the shorter male hug the brunette tightly and push away at Kakashi's advances for a hug as well.

When the goodbyes were all said and done, both travelers took off towards the Decorous Bridge, crossing it not too long after without a hitch. The older lord expected the blonde to awe at the amazing architect up close but strangely, he didn't say a thing. Those curious eyes didn't even wander to the intertwining ropes essentially fastening the whole bridge together. It didn't matter any way. With the river rapidly flowing underneath them, even if words were to be exchanged neither would be able to hear. However, this side of Naruto was a bit unsettling to Sasuke, and he just couldn't shake the feeling of guilt away.

"How far until we reach Lavonia?" the blonde prince finally gave out after the two were well away from the bridge. Sasuke glanced over to the other, a bit startled by the sound but was quick to answer.

"It shouldn't be that far from here, if we're lucky, we might even reach the gates by nightfall." He replied, wanting to prolong the conversation as much as possible. Sadly, the other just nodded and continued on as if he'd never even said anything. Sasuke frowned at the lack of response, noticing that the blonde wasn't even lagging behind nor complaining about the long walk. The nobleman finally established that there probably wasn't going to be any more conversing for the rest of the journey.

…

The sun was gentle on them both as they strolled through the well-worn out dirt path. After hours of nonstop traveling in silence, Sasuke suggested they stop for a lunch break in another hour or so. Again, his only answer was a curt nod that Naruto did indeed hear him. The raven rubbed his temples in agitation, if the prince didn't want to talk then let it be. The lord wanted to focus on other things instead of the pettiness that was going on between them both.

The raven let his eyes roam to the familiar scenery that was wedging its way back to his memory. Sighing loudly he thought about many other things he had to worry about. There was still so much he was hiding and somehow, everything always reverted back to Naruto. No matter what happened, their paths always crossed each other in some way. He chanced a glance back at the other, taking in the strong features of a true aristocrat; the strong yet soft outline of a jaw bone, perfectly sculpted lips, long blonde eyelashes, and a petite straight nose. There was no denying that Naruto was meant to be a royal.

"Is there something on my face or do you just enjoy staring intently at other people?" Naruto questioned, still walking without a skip in his footsteps.

Sasuke furrowed his brow but chose not to reply. Unlike the blonde idiot, he wasn't easily goaded into an argument of retaliation. Turning away he paced onward.

…

"You know Kakashi, I really wished Naruto and Sasuke would have stayed longer, I think we can use some extra footsteps in the house." Iruka began while cleaning the table of only two dishes instead of four.

"Are you trying to imply something here?" the silver haired man replied with a coy smile. He heard Iruka stutter a bit as a pink hue dusted over his cheeks. The older man laughed a little but proceeded to get up and help his spouse with the dishes as well. "I'm just teasing you my little wife, but I agree."

The brunette smiled at the comment, realizing why he did what he did to put up with his husband. Kakashi could be quite a handful sometimes but it was those moments that made his heart flutter so erratically. Setting the dishes over in a wooden bucket, he reminded himself to grab water later in order to wash them.

"Ne Iruka."

At the call of his name, he turned quickly to face the recipient of the voice, noting the drastic change in tone. "Is there something wrong Kakashi?"

"I get this feeling that Naruto doesn't know," the silver haired man stated out, piling the rest of the unnecessary things in the kitchen space.

"Know about what?" Iruka questioned, hands finding their way to land on each hip. "I hope you don't mean-"

"That's exactly what I mean," the other replied with a stern look. "Sasuke didn't mention anything to us about it and there was a sense of uneasiness the whole time. It's the only explanation"

"I'm sure that was something else altogether, besides, Sasuke doesn't look like one to lie." Iruka defended. "Look there's nothing to worry about; Naruto's returning home so that should be all there is to it."

"Maybe you're right Iruka," Kakashi agreed solemnly. "But…returning for all the wrong reasons and under false pretenses, isn't going to make the welcome back party very…welcoming."

"Well I think you're over reacting. Besides, there are no indications that prove your theory so we'll just have to see." Iruka claimed, making his way back through the doorway into the adjoined kitchen.

"He asked me the other day if we had messenger pigeons that travel to the castle."

With that sentence, Iruka paused, wheels turning in his head at why the younger male would need a message sent to the castle. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth of course."

"Did you happen to see what he wrote?" Iruka interrogated, staring back over to Kakashi. The silver haired man just shrugged indifferently.

"The note was already prewritten, and was sent out early this morning."

Iruka sighed, closing his eyes knowing that they were going to get news soon about returning back. "This definitely ruins the idea of escaping out here to get away from all the royal obligations."

On that note Kakashi smiled, taking a few steps to touch his spouse lightly on the arm in comfort. "Don't worry; we still have the rest of our lives to spend together." With that the taller man gently leaned down to kiss the brunette lovingly on the head. He knew Iruka was smiling and in return made him smile as well. Wrapping strong arms over the slightly smaller male, he pulled the other in for an embrace. "And trust me when I say that I'll spend every moment of it loving you."

…

After having a quick lunch break the pair continued on relentlessly throughout the day but even with that effort, they were forced to take refuge in the night.

"I thought you said we'd reach Lavonia by nightfall?" Naruto irritably shot at the nobleman.

"Correction, I said if we were lucky then we'd be there by nightfall but I guess we started out a too late," Sasuke answered back. He was just as ready as the blonde to get back but fate was on his side so there was still enough time left.

"I'm going to gather up some wood for a fire." Sasuke announced while watching Naruto unpack their things. The night was getting colder by the day, seeing that winter was only a couple of months away.

Not waiting for a reply, he took off into the woods. Like Iruka had foretold, it was a full moon that night and made gathering firewood that much easier. The raven walked about the chirping night of critters, enjoying the serenity of it all. This was probably the last night he would be able to enjoy the calm conscience of a clear mind. Tomorrow would mean stepping back into Lavonia, into a world where secrets would be forced to unfold. He wasn't sure if he was ready yet to face the problems that lied ahead. It wasn't as if he had a choice in the matter any way, everything had already been decided. All throughout Sasuke's life he'd compared himself to a pawn, being relentlessly pushed around for the sacrifice of the game. So many times he had almost fell into that desolate solitude and barely managed to escape. It was different this time though; he would rise victorious…because now, he had Naruto.

…

It was late when the lord finally made it back to camp, knowing well the blonde wouldn't be too happy about his long outing.

"Did you get lost out there?" Naruto asked sitting crossed legged on his mat. Sasuke apologized silently, knowing well he lost track of time while wandering the woods.

"This should last us the night so we don't have to venture back out again," Sasuke stated, dropping the armful of wood in a corner. Picking out the best dry pieces, he made his way back towards the prince and proceeded to build a fire before the temperature dropped too drastically.

"Sasuke…" Naruto slowly whispered out. The raven stopped midair in rubbing the sticks together and stared openly at the other. He hadn't head Naruto say his name all day and strangely, it was a bit refreshing. "I'm sorry…for snapping at you. I know people have different thoughts and reasons so I shouldn't have said anything. It wasn't my intention to force my beliefs upon you."

The raven felt his heart clench at the guilty feeling that was arising in his chest. Why couldn't he just be the better person and not react so volatile towards such a simple comment? "You shouldn't be sorry, I was wrong in trying to push my views upon you also. I apologize."

"We were both foolish," Naruto answered at last, looking anywhere but at the raven.

"Agreed." Sasuke responded and began on the fire again.

The prince nodded and continued to watch the working man. At least he'd gotten what he wanted to say out. It had been so uncomfortable the whole day with no talking between the two. Naruto was a natural born talker and not even saying much got him to focus on other things, like over thinking. It wasn't good thinking either, just mindless insecurities running through his mind added with a hint of doubt. Bottom line, he was scared. He was scared of facing the people of Lavonia after being away for so long. Would they be angry? Would they accept him? He didn't know and that was the most mind boggling question. No matter what though, he'd already come to terms with himself that there would be no turning back.

At last he saw a spark of flame flicker from the two sticks and some dry bark that the raven was using. Sasuke was quick not to let it die and built upon it until it was a roaring flame. Naruto bathed in the heat waves rolling off like a torrent, eyes glued to the orange glow. Yes, there was no turning back.

…

The sun had barely risen over the horizon the very next morning and they were both already up, ready to reach the kingdom. Packing as quickly as possible, Sasuke effortlessly readied himself, so used to traveling by now. He watched with a smirk, seeing the blonde struggle profusely with his belongings until giving in and helping the idiot out. After that little episode blew over with Naruto ranting about some nonsense, they were both off…_again_.

"How did you sleep last night?" Sasuke asked, warm breath puffing visibly due to the cold chilly air.

Naruto yawned loudly, wiping away at extra moisture forming near his eyes. He was still so tired from all the walking they had done yesterday. "It was good, though I didn't that much sleep."

Sasuke nodded in comprehension, knowing that the prince was probably nervous as hell for the events that were ahead.

"Naruto," the raven said. The prince looked over in response, wondering what the other would possibly have to say and what he saw locked him in place. Sasuke smiled encouragingly towards him as the words, "you'll be great," slipped out into the morning air. He turned away, a slight blush dusting over his cheeks like wildfire.

"Thank you," Naruto answered, feeling a bit more composed after the unexpected compliment. "I'm just a bit nervous."

"Don't worry, there's nothing to be scared about. You're people need you and that's the only thing that should matter." Sasuke explained.

"I don't know, it's still a bit much to handle even after all that's happened. I'm just having a hard time grasping the fact that I'm actually going home." Naruto replied back with a weary smile. "I think the thing I'm most afraid of facing is the ashamed faces of my people."

Before Naruto could even process what was happening a strong hand slipped its way into his, intertwining them both together.

"I'll be here, right beside you so don't worry." Sasuke assured.

Naruto felt as if he'd been hit with a lightning bolt as all his limbs went completely numb. It took great effort for him to keep walking without falling over. His hands felt stiff compared to the warm one's clutching tightly back. The blonde couldn't help the bright smile that split across his face as he turned to the raven.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm glad that you found me, Sasuke."

The nobleman couldn't help but slowly allow a smile to brighten up his features as well. There was just something about the prince's personality that affected him like no other.

_8 hours later _

Naruto sighed out in defeat, groaning at how much his feet hurt. He wouldn't be surprised if they had already crossed half the country by now because the travel was so unrelenting. He could feel how heavy his heart was becoming as the dread of reaching Lavonia inched closer and closer.

"Naruto," Sasuke spoke, breaking through his mild distraction. "We're almost there."

Those words reverberated through his muddled mind, creating an odd sensation in his lower abdomen. "I know."

Quietness enshrouded itself over the two for the longest of time as a large brown gate begin to make itself apparent over the distant hills.

"There it is," Sasuke stated at last, shifting the bag on his shoulder as they moved forward.

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, wanting nothing more than to just run all the way back to Gaia. Living in a life of ignorance had become so much of a crutch for him that now, when facing reality; he was paying for that weakness. Suddenly, when Lavonia was just a dozen or so steps away, he noticed the nobleman stop completely.

"Naruto there's something I need to tell you," Sasuke spoke aloud with such seriousness that it made the prince pause as well. He turned to the lord, watching with calculating eyes at the hesitant look the other was sporting.

"Whatever happens…just don't ever lose sight of who you are."

The blonde clenched his fists in an attempt to stop his body from shaking at the impact those words had on him. If there was a person in the world that could get away with rattling his emotions so much, it would be Sasuke. The lord had a way with tugging at his heart strings one minute and then cutting them to pieces the next. It hurt to realize how much would change between the two once they walked through those gates. He didn't reply, fearing his voice would falter at the intense look Sasuke was giving. Nodding slightly, the blonde turned his focus to the gates standing strongly just a few steps ahead. Catching a slight movement, the prince watched Sasuke stride like a King towards the intensive wooden entrance. The raven lifted up his right fist and pounded heavily on the doors. After a few minutes or so, a little timber slide slid open to reveal a square peep hole. Dark brown eyes scrutinized the strangers, eyeing them wearily before closing the fold back. Naruto was a bit confused at this but stood his ground behind Sasuke. He jumped a little as a loud creek rang through the air, signifying the opening of the gates.

The nobleman stepped back a little as the gates were pulled in to reveal a soldier wearing a light brown tunic with gold lining of a spiral in the middle. He was also sporting a dark brown cloth pixane, covering the top of his torso and leather black boots tightened together by blood red strings.

"'Bout time you got back already, Sai was starting to worry that you might have run away too," the brunette joked light-heartedly. He moved the door a safe distance away to let the travelers in and then afterwards, shut it back tightly.

"Where's Shikamaru? And why are you guarding the gates here?" Sasuke questioned the other male, completely ignoring Naruto. It wasn't as if the blonde truly cared anyway, he was too busy dealing with the tidal waves of déjà vu coming in. He didn't remember the gates but then again, he had never left Lavonia other than through the tunneled entrance near the back. Sensing the familiarity of it all, it wasn't so bad anymore. It would be a ten minute walk before they hit the town streets and then another twenty minute walk to the castle if he remembered correctly. Sighing loudly, the prince felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders and that the hard part was over. He was home.

"Yo, you're the prince right?"

Snapping out of his reminiscence, he turned to the soldier from before. The man was just a bit taller than him but definitely not by much. But the oddest thing was that he was sporting a red upside down triangle on each cheek that would look like fangs when he grinned. Naruto shook off the thought, noting that the guy had asked him a question. "Yes, I am."

"Good, I guess it's clear to send word then." The man said mostly to himself, muttering something incoherent as well. "We have a resting house adjoined to the gates to make it easier for guards to change shifts, why don't you two follow me there and we can talk."

Sasuke nodded in agreement pulling the blonde along. Not even two seconds within returning and Naruto was feeling like a doll again, being dragged around without any information. The brunette walked further up ahead while the other two trudged along.

"Sasuke, what's going on?" Naruto asked as Sasuke let go of his arm. "Aren't we going straight to the castle?"

"We will, but there's someone who's been waiting a long time to see you." The lord answered truthfully, not wanting to look back at the younger man.

"Who?" Naruto questioned, not liking that he was being treated like a child again. The raven didn't reply but just kept walking ahead, not bothering to wait for the blonde to catch up.

The prince lagged a step or two behind the nobleman, lips pressed tightly together in irritation. He still didn't even know what the soldier's name was but Sasuke seemed to know the guy pretty damn well. It wouldn't kill the bastard to at least enlighten the blonde with that answer. When they both reached the door, the brunette already had it opened, waiting impatiently for them to step inside. There was a rush of warmth that surged through Naruto's body as he went through the doors. Hearing it close softly behind him, he didn't bother to look as an onslaught of colors bombarded his vision. Heat radiated off the large fire place in the far right, creating a nice cozy atmosphere that was just perfect for any inhabitants of the house. The place was definitely convenient and well-built to keep the working guards comfortable during different shifts. It was very spacious, more than able to hold at least fifty people, with beds lined up in a corner and chairs scattered around. There were a couple of tables here in there but what caught the prince's eyes the most was a giant portrait of the King and Queen hanging over the fireplace. It was as if something had lodged itself into his throat and refused to budge because Naruto couldn't breathe. A wave of nausea passed over him and the prince swore he wanted to vomit. He felt his hands shake uncontrollable and knew his knees were going weak.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered out to him, pale hands grabbing ahold of the other. The prince looked over to the lord, eyes swirling with emotions as he failed to get ahold of himself. He had mentally prepped himself for this reality but it was too much. How was he supposed to lead a nation when he couldn't even face his demons without faltering?

"Sasuke I-"

"-can do it. You're not a child anymore Naruto. You wanted this chance to prove to yourself that you've changed so don't cower away." The raven sternly finished. He squeezed the blonde's hands for extra support then casually pulled away from the prince.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut for a second; calming his erratic heart that decided to beat again. Air filled his lungs greedily as he stood erect, eyes glued to the hanging portrait. As if in a trance, his body moved on its own, taking small steps towards the massive painting. The portrait was painted to perfection, seeing as the two aristocrats resembled so much of their actual selves. The colors blended flawlessly like bread and butter, creating a radiating glow. He wished he could run his hands up and down the canvas to feel the texture of his mother's ruby red hair or his dad's sunshine locks but unfortunately…it was just a picture.

"Breath taking isn't it…Naruto." a voice muttered from behind him.

A cold chill ran through the prince's veins, stilling him on the spot as those words sank in. It wasn't possible; he'd recognize that voice anywhere. Eyes wide from shock, he refused to turn around as panic began to speed up his heart rate, another wave of queasiness engulfing him completely. That bastard…it couldn't be true…after so long…how could he ever forget!

"You've grown up so much, my son."

…

**A/N: Hoped everyone liked this chapter, it took me forever to revise and edit because I was being so indecisive! I think the next chapter will be my favorite to write though since so much will be going on! If anyone has any guesses on Sasuke's motives feel free to share them, I would love to hear it C: Please review! Until next time!**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey all! Thanks so much for the lovely reviews from the last chapter, I'm so happy to hear that people really do love this story as much as I enjoy writing it. I apologize for the long wait; I'm just so indecisive when it comes to revising and then I take long breaks...but a special thanks to Gej (sorry I can't space the name here) for pming me and reminding me to finish my chapter so, Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own. **

**Warnings: Longest chapter ever! Please find a comfortable seating before reading. **

**Chapter 10 **

**One after Another **

…

"Dad?" Naruto whispered out as if he'd heard a ghost. It was like time had ceased to exist for just that moment as he spun around to face the culprit who was impersonating his deceased father. Rather a shock to cerulean orbs though, it was no imposter but his father standing as clear as day before him. Of course the effects of time had been so lenient with his dad, only a few wrinkles appeared on the King's handsome face. His posture was unwavering and strong, just like Naruto had remembered it all those years ago.

"Naruto….your mother and I have been worried sick about you all these years…" the much older man began. He moved forwards towards his stiff son and embraced him whole heartedly, tears threatening to free fall at any moment. "We were wrong to force you so long ago. I was pushing you so hard and you were just a child…please give us another chance."

Naruto couldn't move. Even though his, very much alive, father was holding him so closely…things just didn't add up. He had prayed so long for a moment like this…to see his parents again and apologize for his actions. The blonde had already lodged into his mind the guilt in which would forever haunt him but now…it didn't make sense. Like a puppet being controlled, his arms moved languidly to return the warm hold but he felt nothing behind. The prince was well beyond shock; he needed time to process everything. Needed time to compile what exactly was happening. And so, both father and son stayed in that position for a while until King Minato finally pulled away.

"There is much to be discussed young man but you have traveled far and need your rest. Kiba take Naruto back to the palace." The king ordered. In a flash, the guard named Kiba waltzed over to drag the prince away. Naruto couldn't even process what his dad was saying. All he saw was movement of lips mouthing words and then the guard pulling him away until everything starting getting blurry. The prince couldn't even will himself to keep conscience; it was like his brained had been switched off and quickly his vision turned black.

"Naruto!" Minato shouted in concerned as his son fell limply into the brunette's arms. He was about to run over to his son when the guard's hand shot up in a stopping motion.

"He just fainted," Kiba announced quietly whilst trying to keep the prince on his feet. He motioned his left hand onto the blonde's forehead, checking to see if he had a temperature. "He's not burning up so it might just be the exhaustion hitting him, nothing to worry about your highness."

There was a sigh of relief that came out of the older blonde as he composed himself. "Carry him to the carriage out back and notify the doctor, he's probably dehydrated from the straight days of travel." Minato explained while taking a seat at the nearby table. He motioned for Sasuke to join him and the raven did, grudgingly. Though he wanted to help Kiba get Naruto back to the castle, there were more pressing matters at hand to be dealt with. He couldn't help but clench his fist a little as the guard lifted the prince in a bridal style manner and carried him out back.

"Sasuke." The King commanded and the lord's attention was quickly brought back to the situation at hand.

"As promised I've returned Naruto to you. Now it's your turn to keep up your side of the deal." Sasuke replied back sternly, facing the most powerful man in the Kingdom.

"Of course, the contract has been met and so you will get your troops and Lavonia's alliance as well." Minato answered, pleased with the outcomes of the agreement. "Five hundred of my best men were requested and you shall get them tomorrow morning, when you set off back to Oden."

"Agreed."

…

"_Yo blondie, wake up…I do not want to carry you inside."_

Naruto shifted awkwardly in the small amount of space that was provided. The furry fabric running against his tunic was creating and unpleasant friction, not to mention static electricity. He felt a jab at his left side again, making him turn to avoid the repeating action.

"_Hey wake up."_

There it was again, relentlessly attacking his sides, making it very uncomfortable to sleep. Reluctantly, the blonde willed his eyes open to glare at the assaulter.

"Finally you're awake; now get up so I don't have to carry you inside." The brunette huffed out in exasperation.

Naruto didn't bother to reply as he slowly sat upright to take in the surroundings. Looking past the guard and the open carriage door, he found the familiar sight of high archways leading straight to the main ballroom floor. It seemed just like yesterday that he was running up and down that corridor, hiding from his useless flute instructor…so many memories.

"You okay to walk on your own, fox face?" Kiba asked as best as he could without looking too annoyed. Dealing with nobles was not his thing; he preferred working within the stables with the horses…or anything else as a matter of fact.

"It's Naruto, and yes Kiba, I can." Naruto retorted with irritation. He hadn't heard that one yet but it sounded more of a nickname than an insult. Kiba looked at the blonde with calculating eyes before helping the prince out of the carriage and onto the ground. He lightly tapped the horses' back, motioning for them to be on their way towards their next destination. The guard turned back to the blonde who was still staring like a fish at the vast hall way and lighting.

"Come on prince, your mother's waitin'." Kiba stated and walked forwards without the other. In a second, hurried footsteps followed after him, thudding on the floor until they fell into unison with each other.

"How is it possible that my parents are still alive? I thought they were both killed by a usurper of the throne?" Naruto questioned while pacing next to Kiba. He needed answers and was sure as hell that Sasuke wouldn't give it to him.

"Che, whoever told you that load of bogus is crazy. Lavonia's been doing great with Minato as King. Killing both the King and Queen would be like shooting oneself in the head, its suicide." The brunette replied back. "That's why Sasuke came to get you back in the first place, without you; he wouldn't be able to get the help he needs to get Oden under control. But, you already knew that right, that's why you came back."

Kiba failed to notice the prince stopping completely, fists clenching so hard he could draw blood from his blunt fingertips. So this whole time the bastard was lying to him? Only using him to get what he wanted? That fucking prick lied to him about everything, and on top of that created an elaborate story that wasn't even true!

"Yeah, that's why I decided to come back…" Naruto answered solemnly through clenched teeth, trailing after Kiba. He would keep up this charade to save the bastard's face, and then confront him later. There was no need to involve unnecessary people into the raven's web of lies.

"Your mom's waiting for you in the throne room, she's been waiting ever since that letter came yesterday of your arrival."

"There was a letter sent over to her?"

"Yeah, guess Sasuke didn't want to let you know about the surprise party they planned for you tonight." Kiba let out easily.

"Wait…what surprise party?" Naruto questioned, getting more and more maddened at the things coming out of the guard's mouth. He didn't have a personal vindictive against Kiba but damn, if they guy just kept spilling these truths, Naruto was bound to explode.

"Well, since the cats out of the bag…your parents were planning a ball tonight for your return. You would think that majority of the people would dislike you for pulling that stunt but that's the exact opposite. When word got out that you went missing and rumors circulated around the fact that you chose to run away… your people actually sympathized with you. Now that's some admiration right there, it seems like their prince can do no wrong, huh?"

"Right," Naruto replied back sarcastically, this guy was really starting to get on his nerves with the sardonic jabs. He pressed his lips together in thought, trying to sort out the confusion and anger boiling his blood but Kiba' constant chatter wasn't helping at all. Why couldn't they guy just keep his mouth shut?

The guard noticed the tense form the prince was sporting and decided to drop the mockery. He wasn't trying to get on the guy's bad side or anything but as an Oden guard, he had his rights on picking sides. It wasn't that he blamed Naruto for the fault of their Kingdom's downfall. Regardless of the prince's actions, there had already been gossips about revolt against the Oden King. He figured Naruto was just a tool to speed up the process. So honestly, there shouldn't be any tension at all. Even as they continued in silence, Kiba felt a constant pang of guilt at the way he'd been speaking to the prince. Any other noble would have beheaded him already for such rude comments but Naruto didn't even use one threat. If he could rationalize that it wasn't Naruto's fault why couldn't he be civil to the guy.

"Look Naruto, I know that you made your decision years ago, and I'm not trying to bash you for it. Everybody makes selfish choices most of the time but hell, that's because it's our lives you know? People just can't sympathize with you 'cause you got the balls to do what you want, rather than day dreaming your life away. As lame as it sounds, if you didn't do what your heart wanted, you'd just be a martyr for your own feelings."

Naruto was mildly surprised to hear such wise words erupt from the mouth of Kiba. Not even a second ago he was about to rip the guard's head off but now, the guy didn't seem too bad. True the blonde was still sorting out the craziness of everything but, his malice was against Sasuke, not Kiba. As loud and obnoxious as the brunette was, the small speech was uplifting…and really did reassure him that his mistakes could be righted.

"Thanks Kiba," Naruto answered gratefully. "I really needed that."

The guard gave the prince a broad smile, showing off his canine like teeth and in return, Naruto returned the gesture. Kiba honestly didn't think he was going to like the famous run away prince, already establishing a fact in his mind that the kid was a brat. Now though, seeing the guy standing in front of him with a genuine smile, he couldn't help but want to understand and forgive the blonde. He was starting to see why the villagers could see no wrong in the heir to Lavonia. "Yeah, no problem…but seriously, the queen is waiting."

The blonde chuckled, reminiscing about his mother's diminutive patience as Kiba ushered him towards their destination.

…

"Naruto….is that you honey?" the sweet voice whispered in disbelief. Her eyes widened as she stepped closer to examine the man who stood in front of her. He'd grown up to look just like his father, but the expression in those blue eyes reflected a spirit like hers. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes as she roamed his form up and down. "Is it really you?"

"Mom?" the blonde dared to ask as soft hands carefully caressed his face as if it was fragile china. A moment passed over them both as their eyes connected and repressed emotions finally exploded. Tan arms reached out and latched onto his mother like there was no tomorrow. He didn't care that he was crying, all that mattered was the feeling of redemption washing over his senses.

"I'm sorry for all these years of making you worry mom. If I could make it up to you, I would do everything in my power to repay the debt I've cause." Naruto sobbed out like a child. A tender hand ran through his golden locks, trying to suppress the sobs of her son. Tears flowed freely down her face too, but in happiness that her prayers were answered. Finally, after six long years her only son had returned home.

"No baby, I'm sorry for all the things I had to put you through. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, it's my fault." Kushina answered, running her hands soothingly through blonde locks. Naruto hiccupped a few times; feeling embarrassed at the action but couldn't stop another from surfacing. He felt the lips of his mother widen on his fore head while she tighten her hold. The pair stayed connected in their embrace, simply enjoying the pleasure of the lost interaction.

Kiba watched the whole scene unfold before him as he rubbed away some slight moisture in his eyes. He was such a sucker with these types of situation and a being a tad bit emotion as well didn't help. He could only imagine the feelings the two were experiencing, especially the guilt of the prince just fading away. Because no matter what wrong a child does, the parent's love for him will never waver. Not wanting to ruin the moment, he waited for another minute or so before clearing his throat to get their attention.

"If I may, your majesty, lets agree that this is the fault of both sides and be on with our days." Kiba interjected with a crooked smile only he could pull off. "Now, I know you both have much to discuss so I will be on my way for the preparations for tonight."

"Yes Kiba, Thank you so much for all that you have done." The queen responded with much gratitude as she slowly backed away from her son. "Please update me soon on the status of the ball tonight."

"Yes your majesty." The guard replied with a curt nod before exiting.

…

Naruto swirled the wine within his glass, noting how quickly the day had passed. After Kiba left, his mother caught him up on the latest news as well as hugging him every other second. She just wanted to make sure it was really him, was her excuse, an excuse Naruto couldn't say no to. The hardest part was telling her the truth about Sasuke, about what he had said to get the prince to come back. He loved his mom so much and knew that she was the most trusted person to tell. After being upset at the lies Sasuke created, she sympathized a little while the prince continued to fume and rant.

_Flashback_

"_I mean what right does he have to manipulate me like that?"_

"_Naruto sweetie, put yourself in his position, he just had to get his job done." Kushina answered sweetly to her angry son. _

"_At the cost of hurting someone else mother," the blonde retorted. "He can't just decide what he wants and then do it...playing with people's emotions isn't a game. He probably doesn't even care that he hurts people; as long as he accomplishes his goal then everything is good! People don't matter, they're just there…God I hate that bastard." _

_The queen watched her son's irrational raving, knowing well what was aspiring before her eyes. There was something more to the journey than Naruto was willing to let on. "Honey…I think the real anger is aimed at the fact that you trusted him and he betrayed you, is that it?" _

_Naruto stared startlingly at his mother, wondering how she got it so right. "No, that's definitely not the case here." _

"_Are you sure? Because I'm sure that the word people only consists of you."_

_He saw her thin lips morph into an all knowing smirk before turning away, knowing he couldn't hide the blush dusting his face. "I'm sure." _

_End Flashback_

Afterwards he had excused himself to rest before the ball that night, his mother begrudgingly agreeing to the request. However not even making it halfway up the stairs towards his old bedroom, a maid came for him for clothes measurements, and then another for ballroom dance lessons, another for setting up a bath, and another for the royal dressing. All of them sent by the request of his mother. The blonde didn't get a blink of sleep before someone would be rushing him elsewhere. He sighed loudly, the lulling orchestra music lulling him to sleep but that couldn't happen with so many people in the room.

A glittering candlelit chandelier hung high above the grandeur ballroom, lighting the gowns of many eligible bachelors and bachelorette. Much to the Naruto's displeasure, he hadn't spotted Sasuke the entire night. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen the bastard since they breached the gates.

"Naruto, you've been gone so long. How does it feel to be back in Lavonia?" A random high class female questioned him. The prince jerked his head towards the voice, taking note of the beautiful girl standing in front of him. Her long brown hair flowed like a river behind her back, creating an elegant illusion. He couldn't help but compare it to Sasuke's raven locks that seem to defy gravity in every way, noting that it was much smoother.

"It doesn't feel any different from all those years ago," Naruto answered disinterestedly, constantly looking around the spacious room for a mop of dark hair. The girl nodded her head eagerly and replied but the prince easily tuned her out. He wasn't trying to be rude but really, his mind seemed to be wandering elsewhere. Even with his quick sapphire orbs surveying the room of abundant colors, a certain brooding darkness could not be found.

The blonde sighed loudly, noticing that the brunette girl wasn't there anymore. He tugged at the side hem of his ruby red surcoat, trying to keep his hands busy. Although he didn't really care for the color, red did bring out an aura in him that no other color could. Just when he was about to give up looking for Sasuke, he noticed a dark figure from across the room darting out the back.

"Sasuke…" Naruto spoke aloud. It only sounded like a whisper within the throngs of people as the prince maneuvered through them. He was positive that it was Sasuke's silhouette he had seen, it was no mistake.

"Excuse me," the blonde apologized as he knocked through a group of women. He heard them gasp dramatically at his manners but continued forward regardless. Just when he was about to reach the exit towards the open garden, a strong arm grabbed his elbow and jerked him back.

"Waiiiittt Naru, what's the hurry?" A familiar voice gripped him. He turned to see a grinning Kiba looking straight at him. "Where're ya off to?"

"Oh...I'm just headed out back," He replied, thinking over his answer. Was there a reason why he should lie to Kiba about his motives? "I think I saw Sasuke go towards that direction."

"Say no more, say no more, I knew you two would get back together. I don't know why Sasuke chose to voiiiid the first contract in the first place." Kiba answered back with a sway of his hands. "Ya know….honestly; I think you'd be a greeeaaeat balance for that icy bastard. He needs to get a goooood lay. I don't know how long it's been since he's had sex…the idiots so focused on getting his kingdom up and runnin…he ain't thinkinbout himself."

Naruto stood as still as statue while the guard mumbled more incoherent things under his breath. His mind spun while trying to piece together what Kiba had just revealed. To say everything just got more complicated was an understatement. He had been waiting the whole day to get some answers and now Kiba was yet again, spilling some more nonsense into his mind. He sighed tiredly, too tired to really be surprised anymore. "Are you drunk Kiba?"

"'m not drunk…maybe a couple sips of wine but still, I'm not blind to the truth. Sasuke shoulda just married ya like the original contract and then both countries woulda been well allied." The brunette spoke out in a babble.

A golden eyebrow arched up at that comment. So it was true then, Kiba was insinuating that Sasuke was the other prince and that would only make sense. Although some things were still a bit shady one part remained true, the bastard was just using him. "I think you need to go sit down." Naruto ushered while slightly pushing the brunette out of the way. He couldn't hold it any longer, he had to confront Sasuke. The other wailed indigently as the blonde stalked off somewhere, clearly in a hurry to do something. Kiba's hazelnut eyes followed after Naruto until he wasn't completely out of sight before straightening up his disgruntled figure.

"Was that really necessary Kiba?" A tired voice groaned from behind him.

The brunette turned around, seeing a figure clad in the same guard uniform he was sporting. A wide smirk lit up his face, knowing well that the other disproved of his well-played performance. "Of course it is Shikamaru; it'll benefit them both in the long run. Besides, it isn't like Naruto isn't used to these facades anyway."

"That still doesn't mean you can fool him," the other man grumbled out.

"But I didn't fool him; Naruto deserved the truth. So now when they both confront each other, there won't be any more secrets. Isn't that why you suggested this plan in the first place?"

"To please the queen, but I really didn't think you were going to go through with it. Honestly, sometimes I feel like were more obligated to Kushina rather than Sasuke."

"Exactly, but that's the reason why she's the queen. Nothing gets passed her." Kiba answered before slugging an arm over Shikamaru. "Now let's go _actually_ get drunk."

…

After getting away from the people, not to mention a very drunk Kiba, the Lavonian Prince breathed in the refreshing night air. True he needed to find Sasuke but all day he hadn't had a moment to himself at all. In between the dress up for the ball there were reunions after reunions and questions after questions. Finally getting the chance to be alone, Naruto found himself exhausted. He wanted to be angrier, to be furious with Sasuke but the only thing he could muster was a dejected sigh. What was the world coming to?

He trudged wearily through an open stone path where tall green hedges aligned on each side. It would be impossible to guess where Sasuke went but maybe luck would be on his side tonight. Walking a bit further, the hedges split, one going left and the other going right, to reveal a spectacular view. The stones continued as well but turned into a small sturdy balcony overlooking his favorite fountain in the whole entire castle grounds. There were also steps on each side, leading down to the bottom to get a clearer view of the magnificent statue. Naruto's boots clicked slightly on the rocks but it was easily drowned out by the soothing slush of the water. He chose to go down the steps on the right side, sliding his hands along the stone railings while looking for those familiar black spikes.

"Even when you're not talking you still manage to be loud."

As Naruto had expected, Sasuke was standing right in the middle of the clearing, staring intently at Aphrodite's naked form. "Beautiful isn't it?" The blonde asked.

"There are a few minor mistakes that can be overlooked but…it is amazing." Sasuke agreed wholeheartedly, never wavering from the piece of artwork.

"Well of course no one can really recapture Botticelli's painting and carve it into stone but I think the man did a fine job." Naruto stated, finally making his way to the bottom. There were several torches lined against the wall creating an illuminating glow off the goddesses' body, brightening her wavy hair into unbelievable perfection. Even the shell's edges were tinted with a hit of light, Aphrodite's form creating a cascading shadow over it.

"You lied to me," the prince began in a calm collected voice. If Sasuke wasn't going to bring it up then he would. This talk was well over due in Naruto's opinion. He heard the other sigh, as if mentally preparing himself for this conversation before turning around to stare at the blonde.

"I know…and I'm sorry for lying, for telling all those lies but…I had no other choice." Sasuke explained, trying to find some justification for his actions. "My father…my kingdom…we needed that alliance from Lavonia years ago…"

"You were the other prince….weren't you?" Naruto voiced out. He already knew the answer but some confirmation would help secure the reality of things. The reality in which, he was just another pawn in the game.

"I was…but…because you ran away…everything…everything that Oden was… crumbled," Sasuke said with a bitterness that the blonde couldn't quite forget. "Minato didn't know that Oden was slowly collapsing, her forces weakening with each passing day. True we held a strong army at the time but without proper raw materials and a trading market, people were beginning to starve… After you ran away, my father met in secrecy with King Minato, and both agreed that the contract would still stand til they found you." Sasuke finished. He paused for a bit, looking at the other for any sort of reaction but seeing none, he sustained. "I was away at a neighboring Kingdom when everything collapsed completely, leaving no survivors of the main family."

The blonde felt a jolt of emotion pass through his whole body, swirling around with the already muddled mess his mind was feeling. A nauseating feeling washed over him, spinning his head like crazy. How was he supposed to reply? He hadn't known that so much relied upon that marriage. His father made it clear that Oden was a powerful nation and that they needed help…not the other way around. Regardless of anything, it still didn't make up for the elaboration of lies, stringing him into a false life. Naruto admitted that he was to blame but that still didn't give the Uchiha a free pass.

"A revolution broke out three years later to dethrone my father and it worked, because people were tired of him not taking action against Lavonia. Little did they know how much we needed your kingdom's alliance but the problem was, no one could find you." The raven whispered out into the night. He turned away from the blonde, a part of him hating Naruto but at the same time, understanding completely why he did what he did. "I waited two years to return and even though things have leveled out somewhat, there are still rebels out there trying to kill off the last of the Uchiha line so that anyone would be able to take the throne. I sought out the only person who could help me rebuild my Kingdom…and that was your father. We voided the old contract, and he promised me that if I could bring you back within a year's time, he would help."

"Why void out the old contract?" the prince voiced out before he could comprehend what he was really saying. He saw a flicker of something in those dark eyes as they turned back to look at him.

"Your father knew you had run away in the first place because of it, and didn't want to put the pressure on you again. He voided it so you would stay."

The guilt piling up inside him was beginning to overshadow Sasuke's dishonesty. His parents cared so much for him, did so much for him and even after his betrayal, were still willing to forgive. "How long did you have left when you found me?" Naruto spoke, bits and pieces of both worlds molding in together clearly now.

"One week… that's why…that's why I had to lie. There was no other way to convince you to return with the amount of time I had left. My whole world was on the line Naruto….so many people were dependent upon me…"

"Even with your limited amount of time, you should have told me the truth. I'm not so selfish as to disregard a request that a whole kingdom depended on," Naruto responded, steady orbs watching the raven closely. "You should've trusted me."

"Che," He heard Sasuke scoff as if he heard the most unbelievable thing in the world. "You wanted me to trust you? An idiot who abandoned his native land because he didn't want to go through with marriage? Pray tell how I was supposed to believe that you would help, when you wouldn't even help your own?"

He knew he shouldn't have said that but really, the words flying out of the blonde's mouth were really ticking him off. Especially the way Naruto was being so calm, it was oddly annoying him to no end. The look that came over the other's face confirmed his thoughts correctly. The raven really didn't want to leave on bad terms with Naruto. Why couldn't the idiot just leave him alone and get over the whole thing already. Sasuke sighed loudly, knowing well he had hurt the blonde with his harsh words but they were already out, nothing else he could do about that. "Look…there's no such thing as having happiness served to you on a silver platter Naruto, regardless of who you are. In this world, achieving happiness can only be done through selfishness. I had to be inconsiderate or else I'd accomplish nothing. I am sorry for hurting you, but regret hasn't even surfaced my mind."

With those last words, Sasuke walked away. His body yearned to turn back around to look at the prince but he willed himself not to, and climbed up the stairs. After tonight he would never see the younger male again anyway, so it didn't matter.

"I don't know whose worst Sasuke…me…or you?" Naruto whispered out into the still night, letting all those hateful words elude from his mind. The prince had already come to terms with his demons, and faced them after years of running. He remembered what Kiba had told him earlier and felt calmer with the brunette's encouraging words. Quite frankly, he was beginning to enjoy the crazy guard's company and wondered if Kiba would continue to stay in Lavonia.

…

Naruto awoke the next morning, memories of last night resurfacing, making him cringe at the events.

"Stupid bastard," Naruto cursed out to no one in particular. "If I had more energy last night I would have kicked your ass."

He plopped back down on his bed, reminiscing about how much he had missed the luxury but wouldn't trade life at the orphanage for it. The pillows were heavenly soft and fluffy though, making it really hard to not appreciate the life of a royal again. The blonde was trying to fall back asleep when he heard the hoofs of horses pounce heavily outside. He furrowed his eyebrows at the annoyance wanting to just tune it out but suddenly, a curious shock hit him. Why were there horses so early in the morning? Jolting out of bed quickly, he ran over to the window to see a barrage of guards lining up to receive orders from a familiar brunette. His eyes scanned over the scenery, thousands of possibilities running through his mind at why there would be so many soldiers out in about. Taking a step back, it hit him like a ton of bricks as the reality surfaced. Oden needed help…the alliance…his father…Sasuke…the troops.

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered out to no one in particular. Grabbing his comfortable tan pants and slipping it on quickly; he proceeded out the door and down the stairs. Stuffing his night shirt while going down the steps proved to be a harder task than the prince expected as his shirt loosened out again. He was just about to run through the corridors when a quick hand snagged him back, stopping the blonde completely.

"Sweetie, where are you running off to so early in the morning, especially…in that attire?" Kushina asked, already knowing the answer.

"I just heard some commotion outside and wanted to see what was going on," Naruto responded quickly, fidgeting a little as his feet wanted to keep moving.

"There's nothing going on, just some soldiers traveling to Oden."

"To Oden?" the prince questioned his mother cautiously…. "Does that mean that…?"

"That Sasuke is leaving too…yes honey but isn't that a good thing? You said you hated him so everything should be wonderful." The queen played out, her son was so bad at hiding his emotions. She could see right through him, and the wavering looks he kept sending down the corridor, it was a bit unsettling to see. "Honey…I'm sorry…but Sasuke's already left. This is the last group that is departing, and Kiba will be leading them to join the others."

Kushina watched a bit dejectedly as Naruto nodded solemnly and return back towards his room. Her heart dropped a little at the sight of her son's despondency but there was nothing she could do. This was _his_ battle; he had to take off the blind fold first before he could even begin to fight.

…

**A/N: Okay! Finally finished! I apologize for any mistakes, I do try to look over everything a million times but it sure is harder at three in the morning. I like this chapter and at the same time I don't so tell me what you guys think! Review please! **


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